
Class U^J±5L 

Book 

Gopi^htN". 



-^7- 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



SOURCES OF INTEREST 

IN 

HIGH SCHOOL ENGLISH 



BY 
C. EDWARD JONES, Ph.D. 

ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS, ALBANY, NEW YORK 




AMERICAN BOOK COMPANY 

NEW YORK .-. CINCINNATI .-. CHICAGO 



LBi63t 

.3-7 



Copyright, 191 2, 

BY 

C. EDWARD JONES 



Entered at Stationers' Hall, London 

JONBS, INT. IN H. S. BNG. 

W. P. I 



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gCI.A30l)635 



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INTRODUCTION 



The purpose of this book is to show what relation litera- 
ture bears to the youth. The subject is treated from the 
standpoint of the various types of Hterary art forms with a 
view to determine how the different elements of this art 
interest the readers, and at what stage of development they 
are most potent. The particular field covered is the high 
school period, but the grade immediately preceding this 
has also been considered, in order to show the transition 
from grammar to secondary schools. 

The general subject — relation of literature to children — 
has been treated before, but under different school condi- 
tions and with a different literary purpose in view. 

Clark Wissler {Pedagogical Seminary, vol. 5) conducted 
an investigation of the reading of some 2000 children in 
Indiana schools, based upon the selections in the class 
readers, from the second to the fifth year. He deals with 
children of an earlier age than those considered in this 
book, and he makes no attempt to find elements of inter- 
est in the several classes of Hterature; but his classification 
of selections is practically the same as this, and the choice 
of literary works shown in his report is of interest for com- 
parison with that of older pupils. 

Clara Vostrovsky made a study of the library reading of 
-1200 Stockton children ranging in age from 9 to 19 years. 
While this investigation does not concern itself with the 
course of study pursued or the grade of work done by the 



4 INTRODUCTION 

readers, it shows some interesting facts regarding juvenile 
reading and fiction, and touches upon history, biography, and 
science. 

In 1896, under the direction of Charles H. Thurber, in 
Chicago, report was made on the reading of 3000 grammar 
school pupils from 9 to 15 years of age. This report is of 
value in showing the relative quantity of different classes 
of literature read by children of different ages, and forms 
a basis for comparison with results in high school. It gives 
no information, however, on sources of interest. Further- 
more, as the investigation was made in February, that is, 
in the midst of the school year, it considers only the work 
of the five previous school months, and for this reason 
reflects too largely the influence of the teacher. 

Very little investigation has been made in the high 
school field. In School Review (vol. 13) Samuel Thurber 
discusses the voluntary reading of high school pupils. He 
finds this to consist of 91% light fiction, 5% essays, 1% 
poetry, and only 2% of what he considers Hterature. He 
reaches the conclusions that the required reading is too far 
removed from pupils' normal interests and that ''teachers 
need to be more sympathetic." His discussion is sugges- 
tive, but as it is based upon evidence from only one high 
school, the conclusions are not convincing. 

Three Colorado cities have given statistics regarding the 
maximum and minimum quantity of children's reading 
(R. W. Bullock, National Education Association Report, 
1897). The observations, which cover all grades from the 
third year to the end of the high school course, relate only 
to stories. These are somewhat artificially classified, and 
the question of sources of interest has not been considered. 
No separation is made of high school work, and there is no 



INTRODUCTION 5 

discussion of drama, poetry, the essay, or other literary 
forms. The upper grades are found to have the maximum 
amount of reading; but in this case again the evidence does 
not constitute satisfactory proof. 

F. 0. Smith gives data from the reading of 2000 pupils 
in the sixth to the twelfth year in three Iowa cities. He 
seeks to find the quantity of voluntary reading done, and 
the relation of such reading to the English course. He 
gives a record of the number of books read per pupil for the 
several years, but takes no account of the different classes 
of books read. His records of the first choice, though not 
classified, are of interest in showing popularity of individ- 
ual books. Though he does not make a special study of 
motives, yet he offers some helpful suggestions on this 
topic, both for grades and for high schools. He gives some 
data on the relation between the number of books a pupil 
reads and the character of his school work, but as this is 
based upon only 85 records it cannot be thoroughly con- 
vincing. His final conclusions are not closely related to his 
data, and they are too general to be of value. 

Allan Abbott's report also touches on secondary school 
work. Mr. Abbott bases his Reading Tastes of High School 
Pupils upon the reading of English in college entrance re- 
quirements — a limited field. Without analysis of motives 
he has classified 178 books as ''much liked," "liked," or 
''disliked," and has tabulated his results. His conclusion 
is that teachers should consider boys and girls immature, 
and give them no literature inconsistent with their develop- 
ment. He gives some valuable suggestions regarding books 
to be read, but does not show why these books will con- 
tribute to the pupil's mental growth. {School Review^ 
Oct., 1902.) 



6 INTRODUCTION 

The discussion in this book differs from others in these 
particulars: 

It deals with the problem distinctly from the high school 
point of view. 

It aims to show sources of interest, to explain why these 
qualities appeal to the reader, to connect the elements of 
interest with the literature in which they are found, and to 
relate their potency to the pupil's psychic growth. 

It eliminates, as far as possible, the teacher's immedi- 
ate influence by securing the data for a whole year at the 
opening of school in the fall, after a long vacation has 
intervened and before the new teacher can make a strong 
personal impression. 

The investigation was conducted in seven different cities 
in the State of New York, all of which were following a 
uniform syllabus, — the State syllabus of 1905. Since this 
syllabus conforms to the uniform college entrance require- 
ments, the conclusions from this study have a general 
application. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Introduction 3 

Questions and Required Reading p 

Questions for High School Pupils 9 

Questions for High School Teachers 10 

Required Reading 11 

Classification of the Literature 13 

Reports of Pupils 15 

Eighth Grade, Grammar School 15 

First Year, High School 23 

Second Year, High School 36 

Third Year, High School 45 

Titles of^Required Reading 54 

Classification of Required Reading 56 

Tabulation of Reports 58 

Comments on Required Reading 72 

Plots Based on Tabulation of Reports 75 

Conclusions as Shown in Plots 82 

Required Reading 82 

Outside Reading 83 

First Choice 87 

Eighth Grade, Grammar School 87 

First Year, High School 91 

Second Year, High School „ 98 

Third Year, High School 102 

Plots of First Choice Selections 109 

7 



8 CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Comments on Plots of First Choice 113 

Conclusion 115 

Required Reading 116 

Outside Reading 120 

Comparison of Reading of Girls and Boys 126 

Suggestions 128 

Other Problems 130 

Bibliography 132 

Notes and Comments 134 



SOURCES OF INTEREST IN HIGH 
SCHOOL ENGLISH 



QUESTIONS AND REQUIRED READING 

Upon the opening of the schools in the first week in 
September, the following questions were submitted to 
high school teachers and pupils in seven cities. According 
to the plan, the first year liigh school pupils reported on 
eighth grade elementary work, and the fourth year pupils 
on third year high school work. Hence, this report omits 
all record of fourth year work but it shows the interesting 
transition period from the elementary to the high school. 



QUESTIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL PUPILS 

1. Give your name and age. 

2. Where were you bom? 

3. What grade, or year, were you in last year, and in 

what school? 

4. What is the name of your present English teacher? 

Of your last year's English teacher? 

5. What books, stories, papers, or poems did you read 

last year as a part of your regular school course? 
9 



10 QUESTIONS AND REQUIRED READING 

Which did you particularly like, and why? So far 
as you can, give the title and the author of each 
book. 
6. What books, stories, or poems, aside from your 
regular school course, have you read since a 
year ago? Which did you particularly like, and 
why? 



One disturbing factor in other investigations has been 
the influence of the teacher. To avoid this, as far as pos- 
sible, the answers were called for at the beginning of the 
school year. In most cases the teacher under whom the 
pupil studied the previous year was not the one to whom 
he gave his answers. It was therefore possible to get an 
opinion that was not immediately influenced by the teach- 
er's expression of his own judgment regarding the various 
books read. The teacher's report was given to show 
which selections were chosen from the course. That is, 
among the first year selections are included, — Ivanhoe, A 
Tale of Two CitieSj and Cranford. The teacher determines 
which of these the class shall read. 



QUESTIONS FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS 

1. Name of school. 

2. Name of present English teacher. 

3. Name of last year's English teacher. 

4. What reading was done last year by the several 

classes in this school? Indicate after each selec- 
tion whether it was read as a class exercise or by 
students outside the class. 



REQUIRED READING 



II 



REQUIRED READING — EIGHTH GRADE GRAMMAR SCHOOL 
I. Appreciative reading of 



Warner, C. D. 
Burroughs, John. 



Scott, Sir Walter. 
Or all of the following 
Longfellow, H. W 
Macaulay, T. B. 
Lowell, J. R. 
Lowell, J. R. 
Lowell, J. R. 



I. Prose 

In the Wilderness. Or 
Sharp Eyes and Other Papers. 

II. Poetry 

The Lady of the Lake. 



The Skeleton in Armor. 
Horatius. 
Singing Leaves. 
Rhoecus. 

Under the Old Elm. 
" Wasliington " — stanza beginning with the line, " Sol- 
diers, statesmen, rarest union." 
Browning, Robert. Incident of the French Camp. 

Lowell, J. R. Under the Willows. 

The prelude ending with the lines : 
" And I must follow would I ever find, 
The inward rhyme to all this wealth of life." 
Byron, Lord. Apostrophe to the Ocean. 

Shelley, P. B. To a Skylark. 







FIRST YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 






First Half 


I. 


Coleridge. 


The Ancient Mariner. 




Macaulay. 


Lays of Ancient Rome. 




Lowell. 


The Vision of Sir Launfal 


II. 


Scott. 


Ivanhoe. 




Dickens. 


A Tale of Two Cities. 




Gaskell. 


Cranford. 



12 QUESTIONS AND REQUIRED READING 

Second Half 

I. Irving. The Sketch Book. 

Lamb. Essays of Elia. 

Bacon. Essays. 

II. Browning. Cavalier Tunes, The Lost Leader, 

How They Brought the Good News from Ghent to Aix, 
Evelyn Hope, Home Thoughts from Abroad, Home 
Thoughts from the Sea, Incident of the French Camp, 
The Boy and the Angel, One Word More, Herve Riel, 
Pheidippides. 
Tennyson. Gareth and L)niette, Lancelot and 

Elaine, The Passing of Arthur. 
Palgrave. Golden Treasury (First Series), 

Book IV, with special attention to Wordsworth, Keats, 
and Shelley. 

SECOND YEAR, fflGH SCHOOL 

First Half 

I. The Sir Roger de Coverley Papers in the Spectator. 
Bunyan. Pilgrim's Progress, Part I. 

FrankHn. Autobiography. 

II. Shakespeare. As You Like It, The Merchant of 

Venice, Twelfth Night. 

Second Half 

I. George Eliot. Silas Marner. 

Goldsmith. The Vicar of Wakefield. 

Hawthorne. The House of the Seven Gables. 

II. Goldsmith. The Deserted Village. 

Palgrave. Golden Treasury (First Series), 

Books II and III, with special attention to Dryden, 
Collins, Gray, Cowper, and Burns. 
Pope. The Rape of the Lock. 



REQUIRED READING I3 

THIRD YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

First Half 

I. De Quincey. Joan of Arc and The English Mail 

Coach. 

Emerson. Essays (selected). 

Ruskin. Sesame and Lilies. 

II. Shakespeare. King Henry the Fifth, JuHus Cae- 

sar. 

Second Half 

"A review of the books read in the preceding terms, with 
some attention to the Hterary history of the epochs which they 
represent.'^ 

CLASSIFICATION 

The answers to the question, "Where were you born?" 
were not considered, as so few of the students were foreign- 
born that the influence of this factor was negligible. 

The answers to the question concerning the literature 
read as part of the regular school course were carefully 
classified under the following groups of reasons assigned for 
preference: (i) description, (2) moral, (3) plot, (4) char- 
acter, (5) style or beauty. Some answers came barely 
within this scheme of classification, while a few fell en- 
tirely outside of it; but the aim was to bring them, if pos- 
sible, within this range, because they represent the various 
elements of content that may be expected to furnish sources 
of interest. 

The particular selection under each group was deter- 
mined by the teacher. That is, when a class reported 
Ivanhoe and not A Tale of Two Cities, it meant that only 
the former had been read. 



14 



QUESTIONS AND REQUIRED READING 



The answers to the question concerning outside reading 
were classified as follows: 



1. Fiction 

2. Poetry 

3. Drama 

4. History 

5. Science 

6. Biography 



Classic 
Current 



.01 Classic Tales 
.02 Short Stories 
.03 Juvenile Stories 

Epic or Narrative 

Descriptive or LyricJ 

Tragedy 

Comedy 

Classic .01 Tales 

European 

U.S. 

Local 



Animals 
Plants 



.01 Tales 



An additional list of books best likedj with reasons, was 
made for separate tabulation. 

Seven cities in New York State are represented, ranging 
in population from 150,000 to 12,000. 

The results in these cities by years are shown in the fol- 
lowing pages; 



REPORTS OF PUPILS 
EIGHTH GRADE, GRAMMAR SCHOOL 





First City 




No.' 


Total Age 


AvG. Age* 


IIO 


1498 


13.6 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Almost the entire interest in 
poetry is in The Lady of the Lake, though a few choose 
H or alius, Rhcecus, and The Skeleton in Armor. Out of the 
whole number only 19 select prose. The required prose 
must seem dull to this grade. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 1 1 o : 290. This meaus that no boys 
have read 290 books. A few history tales are read and a 
little poetry, but almost no drama. The main interest is 
in fiction, but less in juvenile fiction than is the case in the 
following cities. 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 123 1650 13.4 

REQUIRED READING. — There is a vagueness of opinion, 
many failing to express any choice. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 1 23 : 382. The chief difference from 
the boys' reading is in the increase in the amount of cur- 
rent fiction and narrative poetry. 

* As the age is given for the time when the report was made and the 
grade was that of the preceding year, one year must be deducted from the 
age in each case to make it correspond to the grade. 

IS 



l6 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

Second City 

No. Total Age Ave. Age 

Boys 241 3254 13.5 

REQUIRED READING. — The tendency of this group shows 
interesting features. In the Wilderness has a large follow- 
ing. It is chosen for the description, the lesson, the story, 
and the characters. The descriptions in Sharp Eyes have 
made a noticeable impression. Incident of the French 
Camp finds its only supporters in this city, while The 
Apostrophe to the Ocean finds admirers here and also in 
the fourth city. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 24 1 : 677. Juvenilc stories are prom- 
inent. There are some science stories and a little poetry, 
but almost no dramas. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 252 3353 13.3 

REQUIRED READING. — It differs little from that of the 
boys, showing about the same strength and variety. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 252:835. Poetry and science sto- 
ries are prominent. Louisa Alcott's books are popular but 
current fiction is read far oftener than are juvenile stories. 



Third City 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Boys 50 696 13.9 

REQUIRED READING. — With both girls and boys the 
choice is pronounced. Not quite half prefer The Lady of 
the Lake and the others divide between Sharp Eyes and 
In the Wilderness. The pupils are inclined to pick out 



EIGHTH GRADE 17 

a particular episode, like the chase, and comment upon that 
as the thing of most interest. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 50 : 240. Classic and juvenile tales 
are prominent, and current history stories have a show- 
ing. But in every case stories of strong action are 
preferred. The Spy, The Last of the Mohicans, Ivanhoe, 
and Treasure Island, are chosen *'for adventure and happen- 
ings." The Vision of Sir Launjal and Evangeline are read 
"for the story and the moral." Hero Tales are mentioned 
*' because of their brave men," and The Man without a 
Country "because it makes you love your country more." 
The strongest motives here are physical action and moral 
force. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 53 715 13.5 

REQUIRED READING. — There is little difference from that 
of the boys. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 53 : 334. A little more of classic 
fiction, much more poetry, more drama, and more nature 
stories have been read. Evangeline is a particular favorite, 
its interest centering in the heroism of self-abnegation; Uizcle 
Tom's Cabin "tells how cruel the Southern whites were to 
the negroes." (This is why the book is prohibited in the 
Buffalo juvenile libraries.) There is a good showing of 
girls' books. One girl says, "I like Little Women because 
Beth is so kind and good to everyone." The girls express 
pleasure in books with a "sad plot." They seem to prefer 
patience and endurance, while the boys are interested in 
action. 

Int. in H. S. Eng. — 2 



1 8 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

Fourth City 

No. ToTAt Age Avg. Age 

Boys 94 1382 14.7 

REQUIRED READING. — Sincc the Only prose offered in 
this year is In the Wilderness and Sharp Eyes, it is not easy 
to determine relative interest in prose and poetry. Among 
these boys a large majority favor prose. Only one sees 
any humor in In the Wilderness; all the others like it for 
what it tells about birds, animals, and the woods. The 
poetry may be divided roughly into descriptive and narra- 
tive. Those who select the poetry do so almost entirely 
for the story. H or alius ''is exciting," so is Rhcecus, and 
The Lady of the Lake "is a good story." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 94 : 268. While the ratio is not 
large, the report shows a greater imiformity in selection 
than among the higher grades, and also evidence of control. 
The proportion of classic selections is large and among them 
there is more juvenile fiction than is found in the upper 
classes. There is also a fair proportion of dramas, history, 
and science stories. Boys' stories are common, with The 
Half-Back as the favorite. Reasons seem to be about equally 
divided between moral and physical action. The Man 
without a Country is next to The Half-Back in favor and has 
''lots of common sense and worldly wisdom in it.'' Tony 
the Tramp has "lots of plot and a good moral." This 
characterizes the elements of choice at this age. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 86 1260 14.6 

REQUIRED READING. — There is Uttle difference from the 
boys' reading. Those who choose the prose like the stories 
of birds and other animals. Humor is not mentioned. 



EIGHTH GRADE 19 

Those who choose The Lady of the Lake are particularly 
interested in Ellen or in some of her affairs. No one has 
chosen An Incident of the French Camp. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 86:378. The classic tales are in 
the majority, with many short stories and juveniles. Some 
poetry and drama are given. Evangeline and The Mer- 
chant of Venice are special favorites. The Elsie books and 
The Birds' Christmas Carol have a following, and also Santa 
Clauses Partner. The adult novel does not become very 
prominent this year, but more girls than boys mention it. 
Nedra ^'is exciting;'' The Pathfinder ^ The Last of the Mo- 
hicans, and Treasure Island are preferred for some form of 
adventure. The cheaper current fiction is remarkable for 
its absence. 



Fifth City 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Boys 32 450 14 plus 

REQUIRED READING. — Not all give an opinion, and those 
who do so are not very definite. The study of these papers 
raises the question, Is the eighth year reading without in- 
terest to children of this age? The choice is divided about 
as in the other groups but is not very suggestive. 

outside reading. — 32 : 164. The outside reading con- 
tinues to show supervision. There are a few history 
stories, some poetry and drama, but comparatively little 
current fiction. The Half -Back, Treasure Island, and The 
Man without a Country are popular, The Prince and the Pauper 
"teaches one to be satisfied with his lot " The Merchant 



20 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

of Venice ''is full of excitement," The Brook ''tells what a 
brook would say if it could," and The House oj the Seven 
Gables is chosen because it shows "how much mystery and 
horror can abound in a common house." 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 26 355 13.7 

REQUIRED READING. — The record shows little variation 
from that of the boys. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 26: 142. Somc poetry and drama 
and a good number of tales and juveniles are the features 
of the record. The first choices vary httle from those of 
the boys. The Man without a Country "teaches love of 
country," in The Prince and the Pauper "the prince is kind 
to the pauper and his mother," and The Birds^ Christmas 
Carol "shows how poor people can be made happy." But 
The Merchant of Venice is chosen for its excellent EngHsh. 
This might seem priggish but the writer reports four dramas 
and from these makes her choice. 





Sixth City 




No. 


Total Age 


Avg. Age 


47 


684 


14.6 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Several give no reasons for choice, 
and some say simply "it is easy to understand." Horatius 
and The Skeleton in Armor find friends because of the heroic 
or brave characters. 



EIGHTH GRADE 21 

OUTSIDE READING. — 47 : 1 29. The tendency toward ju- 
venile selections continues. Only a little poetry is read 
and a few history and nature stories. The Half -Back is the 
great favorite. Some of Henty's books "are exciting;" 
Canoemates '^has some brave fellows in it;" Shifting for 
Himself "shows how a boy can succeed." One mentions 
Treasure Island as "not quite so dry as other books." 
Action, courage, and travel as given in The Land of the 
Long Night seem to be of interest. 



No, Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 49 677 13.8 

REQUIRED READING. — Choice and reason for choice are 
very indefinite. Positive taste seems not as yet to have 
developed. Sixteen mention the prose selections, 14 give 
The Lady of the Lake, while a few prefer H or alius, Under 
the Old Elm, or Rhcecus. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 49:201. The girls in this group 
follow the general rule of reading more than the boys do; 
they read about the same amount of current fiction 
as of classic fiction. They have read 26 selections of 
poetry, while the boys have read only 3. They have 
also read 13 historic tales. Evangeline is a favorite. "It 
teaches one to be patient, good, and kind," " it is a true 
love story," "it tells how kind Evangeline was to every- 
body," and " it is a beautiful story of love." Betty Wales 
"is thrilHng with excitement;" Two Orphans "shows we 
should be thankful that we have a father and mother;" 
The Bow of Orange Ribbon is also popular, "for its picture 
of life in old New York;" Timothy s Quest ^^is easy to under- 
stand and shows Timothy's love for his sister." 



22 REPORTS OF PUPILS 





Seventh City 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


30 


425 


14.2 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — There IS the same lack of opinion 
here as in the other schools. A few choose Rhoecus and 
Eoratius, but most prefer The Lady of the Lake or one of the 
prose selections. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 30 : 144. The poetry, drama, and 
history stories together exceed all fiction. Evangeline "is 
a fine story;" Sheridan's Ride ''is a startling story of a 
ride;" Miles Standish cleaning his sword is the most 
attractive part of The Courtship of Miles Standish; The 
Merchant of Venice "is a good hint to miserly people, 
especially in the trial scene;" Treasure I stand ^ Buccaneers y 
and Pirates tell of the daring exploits of pirates. One has 
read of the different kinds of machinery in boats. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 31 423 13.6 

REQUIRED READING. — Except that a larger proportion 
choose The Lady of the Lake, there is little variation from 
the boys' record. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 31:116. The girls have read fewer 
novels for adults and fewer juvenile stories but more 
dramas than the boys have read. They have also read 
poetry and some history tales. Evangeline, Captain! 
My Captain! and The Merchant of Venice are favorites. 
Ivanhoe and Uncle Tom^s Cabin are the chosen novels. 
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch is admired "for Mrs. 
Wiggs's character," though the mention of character is 
rare. 



FIRST YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 





First City 




No. 


Total Age 


AvG. Age 


122 


1837 


15.06 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Of the 122 boys, 84 prefer Ivanhoe. 
Many of them call it ''exciting " and ''most interesting." 
It is evidently the action rather than the plot structure that 
attracts them. Eleven who speak of the Sketch Book "like 
the descriptions." They show Httle taste for Sir Launfal 
and The Ancient Mariner and none for Tennyson. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 122:316. This is rather a low 
average and there is not much range. The boys mention 
six poems, but few dramas, no history, no biography, 
and only six volumes of science. While fiction predomi- 
nates, the ratio of "classic" to "current" fiction is high. 
There is a marked tendency for boys' books. Barbour's The 
EalJ-Back and Tom Sawyer are favorites, also books about 
athletics and Life at West Point, because it "tells what boys 
have to do." The Story of a Bad Boy is hked because it 
deals with a "real boy." The Last of the Mohicans is 
"great," and Shipwrecked is "full of adventure;" but only 
one of the Henty books is noted. The Man without a 
Country is mentioned by several because "it teaches 
loyalty." The only poet given is Longfellow and he is 
liked because he is "instructive." 

Of dramas, Julius Ccesar is most favored, not The Mer- 
chant of Venice, The boys seem to read few current novels. 
In fact, Cardigan is the only one mentioned. They also 

23 



24 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

comment upon good periodicals, — The Scientific Ameri- 
can is read for *' its happenings all over the world;" The 
Youth's Companion for ''variety of articles;" and The Satur- 
day Evening Post for "variety of contents." 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 140 2159 15.41 

REQUIRED READING. — Of the 140 girls, 68 prefer Ivanhoe, 
The reasons vary, but 27 assign plot in some form as the 
cause of interest. Some say the story holds them in sus- 
pense, and frequently add "very exciting; " some comment 
vaguely "very interesting;" 15 girls speak of the "beautiful 
and vivid descriptions;" 10 find in the story a moral lesson 
of bravery, honesty, etc.; 13 admire the characters most, 
3 are interested in the customs described, while one likes 
the book because it is "not too deep." 

The Ancient Mariner is next in favor. Of the 22 girls 
who prefer it, all but one are impressed with the m>oral; 
none see any beauty in the poem itself. 

Sir Launfal has 20 admirers. Of these, 9 are interested 
most in the moral, 8 in the description, and 3 in the plot. 

The Sketch Book finds favor with 17 girls, for a variety 
of reasons; 7 enjoy the descriptions, 3 like the stories, one 
finds the characters entertaining, and the others think the 
language beautiful. 

Lamb, Bacon, and Browning and the Golden Treasury 
are entirely omitted. The Idylls of the King is mentioned 
by II, and of these, 6 like the plot. 

Evidently no one has read Cranford or A Tale of Two 
Cities. 

Interest as a whole centers in dramatic action with a 
tendency to the moral. 



FIRST YEAR 



25 



OUTSIDE READING. — 140:823. Of the 823 books read, 
592 are current fiction. The most popular novels are, 
// / Were King, Brewster's Millions, Coniston, The House of 
a Thousand Candles, Graustark, The Conqueror, and Beverly 
of Graustark, The reasons for interest are: "a. fine hero," 
''love may wait," ''it is about a throne," "bravery of 
American girl," etc., all showing interest in the dramatic 
or emotional elements. There are only a few of the Lena 
Rivers type, not enough to show any tendency. 

In 172 of these books, classified as "classic and juvenile," 
the reasons for interest are: Nicholas NicUehy, "humor and 
character;" Silas Marner, "a child's relation to an old 
man;" The Bow of Orange Ribbon, "tale of war times;" 
John Halifax, "led an ideal life, it ends well;" Lorna Doone, 
"beautiful descriptions of Scotland;" Rudder Grange ^ "for 
its humor." 

It is remarkable that in the books listed as "classics " 
plot interest is not mentioned. 

The Man without a Country is quite a favorite, and it has 
evidently been read under direction. "It teaches us to be 
loyal to our country." Hans Brinker, another of the sup- 
plemental books, is enjoyed because it "tells of Dutch life." 

Of the 30 books in the supplemental list of the State 
Course only 8 are mentioned. 

There are 15 reports on poems. Longfellow is the favor- 
ite for his "beautiful thoughts." 

The mixture of tragedy and comedy in The Merchant 
of Venice makes it interesting to some, but others prefer 
Lamb's Tales, "because they are easy to understand." A 
few have read some history stories and these generally ex- 
press a preference for them. This is true also of Bur- 
roughs's Sharp Eyes, on the supplemental list. 



26 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

Second City 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Boys 211 3227 15.3 

REQUIRED READING. — The preference here is less marked 
than in the first city; 145 give Ivanhoe, for such reasons 
as ''more life/' ''exciting," "lots of action," "adventure;" 
The Sketch Book is favored by 26 who "enjoy the scenes" 
or "Hke short stories." Little preference is shown for the 
other selections. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 211:1578. This average of nearly 
8 books to a boy as compared with 3 to a boy in the first 
city is misleading, as 55 books were read by two boys. 
Less current fiction was read, but the list includes 203 vol- 
umes of classic tales, largely by Hawthorne and Poe. It is 
remarkable that of the 2 who have read 55 volumes, neither 
expresses a choice. 

Again there is a preference for boys' stories. Kidnapped 
and Treasure Island are liked for "action and suspense" 
and for "adventure;" The Virginian is "true to western 
life " and The Honorable Peter Stirling shows "persistence 
of a man in getting what he wants." 

This Hst is remarkable for its high grade of literary value. 
In this city much attention is given to developing a taste 
for good reading. 



I 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 236 3542 15.01 

REQUIRED READING. — A Smaller proportion express pref- 
erence for Imnhoe, but there is a diversity of reasons not 
heretofore found. Some speak of the "beautiful scenes" 



FIRST YEAR 27 

and one of the ''places of suspense." Sir Launfal has more 
admirers among the girls than among the boys; it is called 
''beautiful/' and one likes it because it is "told as a dream." 
The Sketch Book is liked for its "humor," and because it is 
"easy to imderstand." A few care for Browning, and 5 have 
read and prefer As You Like It. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 236 : 1 702. This is a better showing 
than that of the girls of the first city. There is also a marked 
difference in quality, 537 classic and juvenile against 985 
current tales. Again one sees evidence of a guiding hand 
in the English department. There is here a tendency to 
read history and some science. 

Classic tales are in particular favor. Wonder Book 
"teaches lessons," and is "easy to understand," Greek Heroes 
is "mysterious." Kidnapped has a "strong plot," The 
Last Days of Pompeii tells "lots of interesting things," 
Ben Bur is "not like other stories," Nicholas Nicklehy 
"tells about hardships of other days," and Pickwick Papers 
"has reality of actions and some funny people." Lorna 
Doone is mentioned, and again its descriptions impress 
the reader. Hiawatha also finds favor. Juvenile books are 
more popular than in the first city. Little Women^ Little 
Men, The Hoosier Schoolboy, and Betty Wales are all " good 
stories." Current novels are few and among them are 
The Crisis, The Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come, Black 
Rock, and The Bow of Orange Ribbon. One girl has read 
13 Elsie books but has no choice. In nearly every case 
where a great quantity of current fiction has been read there 
is Httle or no opinion in regard to it. These girls are in a 
transition stage from youth to adolescence and as a whole 
their tastes are guided in healthy channels. 



28 REPORTS OF PUPILS 





Third City 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


36 


549 


15.2 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — The wholc interest centers in Ivan- 
hoe. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 36 : 209. There is Httle to remark 
upon in this set that is not shown on the chart. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 35 547 15-6 

REQUIRED READING. — The age of thcsc girls is slightly 
above that in the other cities. While in the other groups 
there was a tendency toward Sir Launfal, here only one 
mentions it, and she has chosen it for its moral; but 
Tennyson has relatively a larger following here than in 
either of the other cities. Seven prefer Idylls of the King, 
but for various reasons, among which, moral, story, charac- 
ter, and beauty are all mentioned. For the first time Cran- 
ford is given, the story being liked for its "rare and quaint 
sayings." Poetry seems to be read because it is prescribed, 
but to no educational purpose. Eleven have read As You 
Like It and show an interest in the characters. Ivanhoe 
as before has the largest score, but the reasons for pref- 
erence are less definite than in some other groups. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 35 : 1 52. There is here a peculiar 
mixture of classic and current, juvenile and poetic reading. 
Only 5 prefer the novel of the day. Graustark is "exciting 
and unreal'' Thelma is chosen for its "fine descriptions," 
and Janice Meredith because "its language is simple." 
Louisa Alcott's books "tell of human Hfe and they are 



FIRST YEAR 29 

natural.'^ Lady Eleanor's Ma^itle ''is exciting, it keeps you 
wondering." This group shows a healthy choice. The 
pupils have not done so much reading as the others, but 
their proportion of classic literature is higher, in the ''juve- 
nile" and "tales" groups, and they have read decidedly 
more poetry. 





Fourth City 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


69 


1088 


15-7 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Ivanhoe, The Sketch Bookj and 
The Vision of Sir Launfal are the favorites. Real boys' 
reasons are given for preferring Ivanhoe. It is "about 
battles," "has life in it," is "warlike," "the men are 
brave." Nothing is said of the women or of the romance. 
No well-marked reasons are given for choosing The Sketch 
Book. It "gives information," "has pleasing style," and 
"humor." Possibly more find humor the source of in- 
terest than anything else. Some like The Vision of Sir 
Launfal for its descriptions, others for its moral and its 
plot. ^^V Roger De Coverley finds its second admirer, who 
Kkes it for its mt. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 69:224. While a few of the boys 
have read over 12 books apiece, most of this group have 
done less reading than the others and six report no reading 
at all. The highest record is 16 volumes of current fiction, 
and, as in the previous cases, no reason is given. A large 
quantity of reading seems to dull the power of choice and 



30 



REPORTS OF PUPILS 



discrimination. Where the quantity is not so abundant 
the quality is better. Then there is another interesting 
feature, — nearly every one has read some current fiction, 
but preference is almost entirely for classics. Several of 
Dickens's novels are mentioned, notably Nicholas Nickleby, 
in which the '' characters seem real.'' Les Miserables 
shows the '^beauty of a Christian life." 

John Halifax is "elevating," and Fisherman's Luck is 
about "nature with enough action to make it interesting." 
These pupils give an unusual variety of reasons, not all 
centered on plot interest; even in Ivanhoe more are in- 
terested in description than in plot. Yet this does not 
indicate a weakness or lack of vitality, for a good, strong 
list of boys' books is given. The Man without a Country 
"is the best moral story ever read." Tom Sawyer de- 
scribes a "real genuine boy" and The Deer slayer "has lots 
of exciting places;" Hans Brinker is a favorite, and several 
mention The Jungle Book. Other books mentioned are 
Around the World in Eighty Days, A Study in Scarlet, and 
A Message to Garcia. This Hst shows either that the boys 
are of strong intellectual power or that they have had 
particularly good training. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 71 1127 15.87 

REQUIRED READING. — Among thesc girls the choice is 
narrow. Ivanhoe has by far the most records, and several 
express no choice at all. The reasons given are unique and 
with difficulty are grouped under the several classifications. 
Ivanhoe "tells of real life," "it is exciting," "it is long 
and romantic," and "has a mixture of funny and serious 



FIRST YEAR 3I 

events." The 5 who choose The Sketch Book ^\e several 
reasons; in fact few seem to know why they like this, 
though the reasons usually given are *' beauty" or "de- 
scription." As You Like It is called "hard to under- 
stand" but "worth trying," and The Merchant of Venice 
is "real and Hfelike." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 71 : 265. Here again classic fiction 
seems to hold its own with current fiction. Dickens is a 
favorite, with Oliver Twisty Nicholas Nickleby, and A Tale of 
Two Cities, and the readers speak of the "interesting way" 
in which the stories are told. This is the general statement 
regarding Dickens. Treasure Island and The Half -Back are 
favorites, and there is a decided taste for the tales rather 
than for longer novels, particularly for Tanglewood Tales. 

As compared with boys, girls show a stronger preference 
for poetry. Hiawatha "keeps one excited," showing the 
value of this poem for adolescents as well as for younger 
children. Girls choose dramas in about the same propor- 
tion as the boys do, but for different reasons. The Merchant 
of Venice "ends so happily," "Bassanio is a fine man," and 
^ ' Gratiano is good company. ' ' The Tempest is liked because 
"it is wild." With the girls, as with the boys, the ratio is 
lower in this city than in most places, and the quality is 
higher. The reasons given also show evidence of individual 
choice. 





Fifth City 




No. 
18 


Total Age 
283 


AvG. Age 
15-7 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — These 1 8 boys express vague 
choice, and mostly for Ivanhoe. One says it has "more of 



32 



REPORTS OF PUPILS 



a story to it;" two others, that it is "exciting." In this 
group the answers are crude and unsatisfactory. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 18:87. The ratio here is not very 
high and the Hst shows little but fiction. This may account 
for the fact that few have definite opinions of the required 
reading. There are 41 classic volumes mentioned, but they 
include only Ben Hur, Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberry Finn. 
Only a few current novels are given and the opinions of 
these are not worth recording. Two of the more extensive 
readers have no opinion. Apparently the reading has not 
been guided and it has been of little value. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 20 303 15 plus 

REQUIRED READING. — The choicc among these girls, 
though very limited, is wider than among the boys. Only 
three selections are mentioned, — Sir Launfal has two votes. 
The Sketch Book, six, and Ivanhoe, the remainder. Poor as 
this showing is, there is encouragement in the thought that 
even in this group a few girls care for poetry. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 20 : 147. Of 147 volumcs mentioned, 
all but four are fiction, and the average, about 7 to a pupil, 
is high. There are some interesting records here. One 
who does not mention Ivanhoe in the required reading 
has read more of Scott, and prefers Bride of Lammermoor 
because of its fine descriptions; one is interested in the Hfe 
of the ''dear old vicar" in The Vicar of Wakefield. The 
better reading is done by a few. There is some tendency 
toward girls' books. One has read six of the Elsie series; 
and another, Alice in Wonderland, which she pronounces 



FIRST YE.\R 33 

*' thrilling." One prefers Step by Step because it is "good 
and costs but fifteen cents." 





Sixth City 




No. 


Total Age 


AvG. Age 


24 


397 


16.5 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — From only 24 boys it is not wise 
to draw very broad conclusions. The fact that five tj^es 
of literature are chosen has some significance; but almost 
everyone gives a different reason for his choice. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 24:174. Of this number one has 
read 15, one 12, and another 8 volumes of current fiction. 
One prefers The Lion and the Mouse; the one who has read 
12 books has no choice either among those or in the re- 
quired reading. The Merchant of Venice is chosen by two. 
One has read 7 volumes of current fiction but prefers 
Kipling's Tales. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 28 438 15.6 

REQUIRED READING. — Of thesc 28 girls, 3 prefer The 
Ancient Mariner, one the Lays of Ancient Rome, and 5 Idylls 
of the King, The Ancient Mariner is "mysterious" and 
"shows wonderful imagination;" Idylls of the King is 
admired for "beauty" and the "story," and The Lady of 
the Lake is mentioned for its "descriptions." No one 
finds real active elements. This group is very different 
from any of the others. 

Int. inH. S. Eng. — 3. 



34 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

OUTSIDE READING. — 28 : 323. No such amount of read- 
ing has been done by any other group. Three express no 
choice, these being among the number who have read most 
current fiction. Those who prefer poetry in the required 
reading have read very Httle poetry in their outside reading, 
but they give a larger percentage of classic fiction. There 
are two girls' books mentioned, namely, The Sweet Girl 
Graduate and The Little Maid jrom Canwood. Two hke 
St, Elmo J one because ^'it is most exciting," and another 
because she *' hadn't an idea how it would end." David 
Copperfield, The Mill on the Floss, Uncle Toni's Cabin, and 
John Halifax are among the favorites. 



Seventh City 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Boys 20 317 15.8 

required reading. — Of these 20 boys, 12 prefer Ivan- 
hoe, largely for its dramatic content. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 20:99. These boys have read 99 
volumes but prefer only the following: Ben Eur, Lorna 
Doone, "for its descriptions;" Dickens's books, especially 
David Copperfield, and On Your Mark. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 31 471 15.2 

REQUIRED READING. — The notable feature here is the 
preference for Ivanhoe. Only 3 choose Sir Launjal, and 2 
The Sketch Book. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 31:159. The ratio of classic to 
current literature is high among these girls; 6 have read 



FIRST YEAR 35 

poetry, and 9 dramas. Swiss Family Robinson^ Louisa 
Alcott's stories, The Jungle Book, and Little Lord Faunt- 
leroy are among the favorites. John Halifax *'is the best 
story ever written, '^ and several of Shakespeare's dramas 
are preferred. The reading is strong and well chosen. 
When the quantity is not too large there is a wider 
range of choice and the opinions are more intelligent. 



SECOND YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 





First Citv 




No. 


Total Agb 


AvG. Age 


I02 


1653 


16.2 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — With the exception of the second 
city, this is the only place where Pilgrim's Progress is 
mentioned. A few favor As You Like It but most prefer 
The Merchant of Venice. There is a growing interest toward 
character and away from plot. This is especially true of 
Silas Marner, The Vicar of Wakefield has a few followers, 
and 4 boys mention Tennyson. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 102 : 416. The ratio is low, but the 
percentage of classic Hterature read is high. This is about 
equally divided between novels, tales, and juvenile books. 
A Httle poetry is read, but not so much drama as would be 
expected from the statements on the required list. The 
first choice shows no marked characteristics. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 131 2108 16.1 

REQUIRED READING. — In few instances does the girls' 
reading run so far parallel with that of the boys as it does 
here. The only point of difference is that more prefer 
Tennyson, and 5 speak of some form of beauty in his poems. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 131:784. Here the ratio is far 
above that of the boys. Juvenile literature declines in 
favor and current fiction rises. Poetry increases slightly, 
but the whole Hst shows little individuality. The first 
choices are largely for Graustark and that class of fiction. 

36 





SECOND YEAR 




Second City 


No. 


Total Age Avg. Age 


182 


2915 16 plus 



37 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Here there is an unusually wide 
range of reading, more than is prescribed. Many report 
on part of the first year work. This is because part of the 
class were ^'2A." Some prefer poetry and the drama. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 182 : 906. The ratio is not large, 
but the reading is of a high order and it bears a close rela- 
tion to the required reading. The teacher of this class for 
years has exercised a strong influence. He brings out the 
artistic element in what is read, and this seems to affect the 
outside reading. There is a high per cent of juvenile 
reading, including The Crimson Sweater and The Half -Back, 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 194 3202 16.5 

REQUIRED READING. — Not all of thcse girls give definite 
opinions, but those who do express a choice show marked 
individuality, so much so that their answers cannot be easily 
grouped. 6*^7^5 If am^/- is the favorite; ''it is true to life," 
''shows the influence of the child," "its force is fascinating," 
"it is easy to read," and "it ends well." It is remark- 
able that interest does not center wholly in plot. This 
seems to be owing to training. Of the dramas, As You 
Like It is more popular than The Merchant of Venice. In 
this school much dramatic reading is done. Its influence 
is apparent from the discriminating statements relative to 



38 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

the different characters. The "interest of the story " is not 
the common reason for preference. Doubtless this reading 
also accounts for the higher ratio of those preferring the 
drama. The Deserted Village has 13 votes. Poetry is also 
of some interest. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 194 : 1438. Here the ratio is very 
high, and although current fiction prevails with 728 volumes, 
it is of a fairly high grade. The Lady of the Decoration 
shows "the queer part the decoration played;" The Vir- 
ginian "is about a brave fellow,'' and A Spinner in the Sun 
"is a good love story;" Richard Carvel is a particular 
favorite for "its action and adventure;" Black Rock has 
"lots of conversation and no long descriptions;" Red Rock 
"is interesting" and the ever-present Grawjtor^ "is a 
thrilling story." 

It is again apparent that those who read too much have 
little taste. One girl who has read 20 volumes of current 
fiction prefers St. Elmo. Here is another interesting fact, — 
those who have read the most current fiction express no 
opinion in regard to the required reading. Too much fiction 
seems to destroy taste. One has read 23 books, another 17, 
another 15, and several more than 10 books, yet none of 
these express a choice. This is not true when the read- 
ing has been of the so-called classic type. Pupils who 
read Scott, Dickens, Bulwer-Lytton, Cooper, George Eliot, 
though in smaller quantities, give definite expression of 
preference. 

Kenilworth is particularly popular for its descriptions. 
This may be due in part to the interest in Ivanhoe in the 
previous year; John Halifax is liked because the hero is a 
"perfect gentleman." One girl writes, "I never read a 
book I enjoyed Hke Jane Eyre; I read it three times." 



SECOND YEAR 39 

Dickens is a growing favorite, and the interest centers in 
the characters. There is a tendency here in classic fiction 
to give value to other than plot interest. This is real 
development. 

One hundred and twenty-one have read poetry — a large 
part Idylls of the King. One writes, *'It shows an artistic 
way of handling a modern story in the guise of an ancient 
legend;" another, ''The author gives the important facts 
of life and character in the form of wonderfully musical 
poetry." This is the most emphatic defense of poetry yet 
received. Here ^6 prefer the drama in the required reading 
and they have read 98 plays outside. A large number have 
read tales — Hawthorne's and Greek Stories. History and 
science get scant recognition. 

It is noticeable that girls* books have almost entirely 
disappeared. For better or worse this reading is given up. 





Third City 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


40 


649 


16.2 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — The Merchant of Venice is chosen 
for its characters; Silas Marner has a wider range of ad- 
vantage, being "true to Hfe," ''easy to understand," and a 
picture of "the inner side of Hfe." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 40 1 83. Three have read dramas, 
6 poetry, and the ratio of classic to current fiction is high. 
The Hoosier Schoolmaster is a favorite for its simple English 
and humor. 



40 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 43 725 16.8 

REQUIRED READING. — While the novcl finds the most 
favor, there is a decrease in plot interest. Character and 
style are in some form mentioned. Silas Marner is "true 
to life" and " to nature." '' Silas is brave, and it is interest- 
ing to see Eppie grow up." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 43 : 2o6. Most of tliosc who prefer 
the dramas in the required reading prefer dramas or poetry 
in the outside reading. The interest, however, is less in 
plot. Ben Eur is liked "for its descriptions," and The 
Spinner in the Sun "for noble characters." John Halifax 
describes "an ideal life," The Little Shepherd of Kingdom 
Come gives "pictures of life and people," and The Conquest 
of Canaan is "true to Ufe." 



Fourth City 

No. Total Age Avg. A(» 

Boys 58 1003 17 

REQUIRED READING. — There is a narrow range of choice 
but a dropping away from plot interest. The Merchant oj 
Venice is mentioned most for its style and its characters. 
The expressions under this head are of great variety but 
they show an interest in character and pleasure in the 
dramatic form. There is also a suggestion of knowledge 
of dramatic structure, as in the comment, "The climax 
is fine." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 58:210. A wider range of choice 
than in the first year is apparent. For classic tales, Haw- 



SECOND YEAR 41 

thorne is a favorite. Four mention biography and 11 
history stories, but give no definite reasons. The influence 
of Silas Marner is shown in the choice of other books by 
the same author. Comparison is made, as, ^^Adam Bede 
is more exciting than Silas Marner.'^ 



No. Total Age Ave. Age 

Girls 6$ 1090 16.77 

REQUIRED READING. — Two prefer Tennyson and 2 
Ivanhoe, the interest of the others being divided between 
The Merchant of Venice and Silas Marner ^ but the interest 
widens. Character and style are taking the place of plot; 
The Merchant of Venice ''has a fine climax," and particular 
scenes — as the trial — are mentioned; Silas Marner is liked 
because "it is true to life, it impresses one as a true picture 
of a lifework." There is little mention of the evolution of 
character; the pupils are doubtless too young to understand 
this. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 65 : 268. Current fiction rises high 
again. Nine who have read dramas have all read The 
Merchant of Venice in the required reading. The required 
dramas seem to influence outside reading more than the 
fiction does. The frequent reading of Rah and His Friends 
shows that this is not a child's book, as so many believe. 
The interest is not in the dog but in the old Scotchman and 
his wife. One still likes Five Little Peppers. St. Elmo is 
admired because the author uses "such choice words to 
connect sentences." 



42 REPORTS OF PUPILS 



Boys 





Fifth City 




No. 


Total Age 


AvG. Age 


23 


38s 


16.6 



REQUIRED READING. — In this year, as in the first, little 
interest is manifest among the pupils of this city. Ivanhoe, 
a first year book, is read along with Silas Marner and The 
Merchant of Ve?iice, though here, as elsewhere, the interest 
is not all in plot. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 23 : 1 49. The ratio here is very 
high, but it is owing to 2 who have read 33 volumes of 
current fiction but who have no choice nor opinion of the 
required reading. One has read 6 dramas and in the 
required prefers The Merchant of Venice. The reader who 
has read only a fair amount of current and classic literature 
generally prefers the classic. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 25 415 16.6 

REQUIRED READING. — Eight of these prefer Gray's 
Elegy for its ^'language and beautiful spirit." Eleven Hke 
Silas Marner, while the others prefer Toanhoe for a variety 
of reasons. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 25 .* 234. In this school the girls 
have read more poetry than the boys. One has read 
Milton's Minor Poems and prefers them for "the mystical 
stories they contain." One has read dramas, classic fic- 
tion, and short stories and prefers The Mill on the Floss, 
"because of Maggie's character." In one combination of 
7 classic stories, i current story, and 6 poems, Dickens is 
preferred. 





SECOND YEAR 






Sixth City 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


32 


528 


16.5 



43 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Here the entire interest is in The 
Merchant of Venice or Silas Marner. Despite the weak- 
ness of the choice there is a tendency even here toward 
character. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 32:221. The ratio is high, with 
much fiction, yet there is a tendency toward drama and 
poetry. 



No. Total Age Ave. Age 

Girls 30 495 16.4 

REQUIRED READING. — A monotonous list, The Merchant 
of Venice and Silas Marner being the favorites. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 30 1238. Even here poetry is strong, 
with a few dramas, though there is a high percentage of 
current fiction. 





Seventh City 


No. 


Total Age Avg. Age 


29 


502 17.3 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — All but two prefer The Merchant 
of Venice or Silas Marner and a few suggest plot. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 29 1 203. For the number there are 
many poems, dramas, and history stories chosen. 



44 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

C^iris 33 519 15.75 

REQUIRED READING. — The choice is between The Mer- 
chant of Venice and Silas Marner, while the interest tends 
toward character rather than plot. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 33 : 247. There is a higher ratio 
of dramas, and those choosing them have preferred The 
Merchant of Venice in their required reading. Poetry has 
II counts; Paradise Lost is cited for its *' variety of ma- 
terial." Dickens is the most popular of classic novelists. 
This in itself shows interest in character rather than in 
action. 



THIRD YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 




First City 




No. 


Total Age 


AvG. Age 


Il6 


2020 


17.4 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — The interest in Ruskin and Da 
Quincey is slight, but what there is centers almost en- 
tirely in style. Julius Ccesar is most popular and more 
for character than for plot. King Henry the Fifth, The 
Merchant of Venice, and even Silas Marner show the same 
interest, but in Tennyson only 3 find the style worth men- 
tioning. 

OUTSIDE READING. — ii6 : 651. The classic gains on cur- 
rent reading. Interest in the drama is marked. The 
required reading has apparently had its effect. There is 
a scattered interest in history and science, but it does not 
show any particular tendency. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 112 1940 17.3 

REQUIRED READING. — Thcsc rccords differ but slightly 
from those of the boys. The tendency is away from plot 
to character and the essays show a dawning interest in 
style. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 112:784. There is less juvenile 
reading than among the boys and decidedly more poetry 
and drama. Fifteen have read science tales and 22 report 
on history. 

45 



46 REPORTS OF PUPILS 





Second Cit^ 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


170 


2938 


17.3 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Strength of selection character- 
izes this group. Joan of Arc and The English Mail Coach j 
so noticeably omitted in the other schools, have a fair quota 
of followers; and the style in each case is emphasized. It 
is remarkable that in no school is Emerson mentioned. 
There are 4 that speak of the ''moral truths" of Sesame 
and Lilies; Julius Ccesar is very popular, but King Henry 
the Fifth has only 16 admirers. Most of those choosing 
the former are interested in the principal characters. 
Fifteen have read Silas Marner, and 5 mention The 
Vicar of Wakefield. Among the reasons, some are unique. 
One likes The Vicar of Wakefield because "it is humorous," 
and another finds Silas Marner interesting because "it is so 
sad;" 2 do not like Shakespeare, and one finds Sesame and 
Lilies "an inspiration to better thinking." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 170:823. There is unusual breadth 
of choice here, and there are also some positive opinions. 
Poetry and drama hold a large proportion, with a strong 
following for science and history stories. Dickens has a 
large following: Pickwick Papers "is original and funny," 
Oliver Twist and David Copperfield "have some striking 
characters." Dumas's Twenty Years After "is chock full 
of go," and The Three Musketeers "is lively." The Moon- 
stone appeals because of its "vividness," and nearly all 
the Leather Stocking Tales are mentioned. Considerable 
poetry is mentioned. Idylls of the King being chosen for 
the "beautiful stories." 



Girls 





THIRD YEAR 




No. 


Total Age 


AvG. Age 


192 


3390 


17.7 



47 



REQUIRED READING. — This reading does not differ 
materially from that of the boys. The girls see more 
beauty and less plot interest in DeQuincey. They take 
about the same attitude toward the dramas and toward 
Sesame and Lilies, but their reasons for choice differ from 
those of the boys. Several find Julius Ccesar "exciting;" 
one calls Sesame and Lilies "too dry;" another admires it 
for its "noble thoughts," another says it is "forcefully 
written," and another that "there is too much to it." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 192:1667. This reading does not 
differ materially from that of the boys except that there is 
a much higher ratio of poetry. Milton's Minor Poems have 
been read "a mmiber of times," and Van Dyke's poems 
are "full of nature." Dickens's works "have more to them 
than later books;" The Mill on the Floss "is a picture of 
real life," and the characters in Jane Eyre are "out of the 
ordinary;" Pride and Prejudice "has an interesting plot, 
but the characters are weak.^' Of more modern novels 
Richard Carvel, The Crisis j and The Honorable Peter Stirling 
are popular. 



Third City 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Boys 33 576 17.4 

REQUIRED READING. — In this group De Quincey is pop- 
ular and in every case he is chosen for his style. How- 
ever, it is De Quincey and not the essay itself that gives 



48 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

interest. Twenty-one prefer the drama and of these only 
8 mention plot interest. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 33 : 294. This ratio is high for boys 
and the tendency toward the classic is marked. There are 
20 citations of poetry, mostly epic. It seems that the 
desire for action in poetry persists longer than in prose. 
A few history and science stories are given. 

Shakespeare "weaves material together in a way that 
has never been equaled;" The Pathfinder "is a good lesson 
in patience;" Letters of a Self-made Merchant "give good 
and humorous advice;" Hugo and Dumas "are mysterious, 
deep, out of the ordinary." The Courtship of Miles Stan- 
dish "shows customs of the Pilgrims." Nothing is said of 
style. 



No. Total Age Ave. Age 

Girls 47 830 17.6 

REQUIRED READING. — The taste of the girls is not very 
different from that of the boys. Eight prefer De Quincey, 
all but one for his style; 3 prefer Sesame and Lilies ^ and 9 
Julius CcBsar. Only one cites King Henry the Fifth as against 
1 2 boys. Twenty- two mention Silas Marner, but 1 2 of these 
like it for the characters. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 47:326. This is a high ratio and 
the books are of good grade. In this year, classical gains 
on current literature, the juvenile fiction is almost extinct, 
but tales hold their own. Poetry, but not the drama, is 
more popular than with boys, and only 3 have read nature 
stories. Here there is a relation between the required and 
outside reading. Several who prefer Julius Ccesar or King 



THIRD YEAR 49 

Henry the Fifth have read more dramas and express a choice 
for them. Romeo and Juliet is liked for its action and Mac- 
heth also for this reason and because "the witches make 
it like a ghost story." There is a wide and well-chosen 
variety. Les Miserables "has vivid descriptions;" Ben 
Eur "has plot and character;" The Lady of the Decora- 
tion "is simply told;" Silas Marner "teaches a great moral 
truth;" Uncle Remus "portrays life that will never exist." 
This is a fine group, — good, healthy books and almost 
none of the cheaper current fiction. 





Fourth City 




No. 


Total Age 


AvG. Ace 


45 


770 


17.I 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — The preference here is almost en- 
tirely for the drama. There is some interest in plot but 
that in character predominates, with a tendency toward 
style. Julius CcBsar is considered "exciting, full of action 
and instruction," but it is oftenest mentioned for the traits 
of Brutus or Cassius, or even of some minor character. 
Idylls of the King is read in this year and there are 15 
preferences for it. This would indicate that these poems 
belong here rather than a year earlier. It is somewhat 
remarkable that Sesame and Lilies receives 7 votes, and its 
moral value as well as style is recognized. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 45:151. This is about the usual 
ratio and the usual proportion of classic to current literature 
is found. A few dramas and a little history are given, but 
the reading in general is without character. Several have 

Int. in H. S. En«. — 4. 



50 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

read Oliver Twist. The Last of the Mohicans is mentioned 
and a few other good books, but there is no distinct 
tendency. 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 46 799 17.3 

REQUIRED READING. — The choicc of the girls here is 
quite like that of the boys. Idylls of the King has a good 
following for a variety of reasons. Some mention the 
story but several speak of the beauty of the poems as the 
most interesting characteristic. Yet even here none state 
in what the beauty consists. Some find plot interest in 
the drama, but several are attracted by the personality 
of the characters and others by the style of the drama. 
Throughout this year there is a tendency mildly to enjoy 
description. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 46:67. This ratio is so very low 
that there must be some particular reason for it, though 
the reason is not apparent from the records. There is 
the usual proportion of classic to current fiction and a 
little history. The outside reading bears no relation to the 
required reading and the choice does not show any definite 
tendency. 



Fifth City 

No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Boys 17 290 17 plus 

REQUIRED READING. — The literary characteristics that 
depend upon cultivation here excite attention. Under 



THIRD YEAR 5 1 

The English Mail Coach we note ^^description;'' under 
Sesame and Lilies "description and beauty of structure;" 
and the drama is cited for both "plot and character." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 17:110. As the ratio of current 
fiction falls, that of other reading rises, and at the same 
time there are more positive expressions of taste. Poetry, 
drama, Dickens's works, and biography all have a share. 
Dickens's works "give fine pictures of old England;" The 
Talisman "portrays the people of the Middle Ages;" even 
Milton's poems find approval. 



No. Total Age Ave. Age 

Girls 15 251 17 minus 

REQUIRED READING. — Here the girls and the boys make 
practically the same choice. Joan of Arc is mentioned "for 
its beautiful sentences," so is The English Mail Coach; 
Sesame and Lilies "teaches great truths and contains fine 
descriptions;" Julius Ccesar "shows pictures of old Rome." 
It looks as though certain forms of composition had been 
taught here in connection with literature, i.e., " correct 
models to imitate." 

OUTSIDE READING. — 1 5 ! 94. Dircct relation between the 
required and the outside reading is here shown, not only by 
the class as a whole but also by individuals. Poetry has 
an important place, and a few are interested in the drama. 
A little history and some scientific stories are read. The 
preference is largely for the better fiction. The Mill on the 
Floss is liked "for Maggie's character;" Rebecca of Sunny- 
brook Farm "is a true picture of a girl's character;" Lorna 
Doone and also Milton's poems are favorites. 



52 REPORTS OF PUPILS 

Sixth City 

No. Total Age Ave. Age 

Boys 36 630 17.5 

REQUIRED READING. — Five prefer De Quincey for style 
and two find character interest in Sesame attd Lilies but 
the main interest is in the drama. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 136 : 270. There is a rise in juve- 
nile fiction and a strong following for epic poetry. Nature 
and history stories are well represented. 



No. Total Age Avg. Age 

Girls 46 809 17.6 

REQUIRED READING. — There is little difference from the 
boys except in more appreciation of style. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 46 : 286. The classic fiction con- 
tinues to increase and interest in epic poetry is strong. 





Seventh City 


No. 


Total Age Avg. Age 


28 


484 17.2 



Boys 

REQUIRED READING. — Though this group is small, we 
note that four choose The English Mail Coach; and while 
24 others choose dramas, the interest expressed is in char- 
acter rather than in plot. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 28 : 65. The reading is without 
point or indication. There is the usual amount of current 
fiction and only one expresses any preference. Two have 
read history but give no indication of interest. 



Girls 





THIRD YEAR 




No. 


Total Age 


Ave. Age 


35 


597 


17 plus 



53 



REQUIRED READING. — Some have reported on first and 
second year work. Thirteen prefer Joan of Arc or The 
English Mail Coach. Four see the great moral lesson of the 
former; the others choose the stories for their style. This 
is in itself indication of development as compared with the 
lower years. There is a growing appreciation of literature 
for its own sake. Julius Ccesar is chosen for character rather 
than for plot, and Silas Marner for its moral lessons. 

OUTSIDE READING. — 35:225. Classical fiction is pre- 
ferred by 84 as compared to 107 who favor current fiction. 
Classic tales, contrary to expectation, more than hold their 
own. Poetry is gaining, both epic and descriptive. There 
are a few dramas and a little history, and 2 report biog- 
raphy. Some prefer dramas in both required and out- 
side reading, but no marked tendency is [^apparent. One 
girl mentions Milton^s poems because "they ring along." 
Tom Sawyer is "humorous and true to life." Dickens's 
works are "much drawn out," and one ]jikts David Copper- 
field "for its excellent characters." , 



TITLES OF REQUIRED READING 

The following are the signatures and the titles indicated 
on the charts of required reading: 

EIGHTH GRADE, GRAMMAR SCHOOL 

1. In the Wilderness. 

2. Sharp Eyes. 

3. The Lady of the Lake. 

4. The Skeleton in Armor. 

5. Horatius. 

6. The Singing Leaves. 

7. Rhoecus. 

8. Under the Old Elm. 

9. Incident of the French Camp. 

10. Under the Willows. 

11. Apostrophe to the Ocean. 

12. To a Skylark. 

FIRST YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

1. The Ancient Mariner. 

2. Lays of Ancient Rome. 

3. The Vision of Sir LaunfaJ. 

4. Ivanhoe. 

5. A Tale of Two Cities. 

6. Cranford. 

7. The Sketch Book. 

8. Lamb's Essays of Elia. 

9. Bacon's Essays. 

10. Browning (Selections). 

11. Tennyson's Idylls of the King. 

12. Palgrave's Golden Treasury. 

54 



TITLES OF REQUIRED READING 55 

SECOND YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

A. Sir Roger De Coverley Papers. 

B. The Pilgrim's Progress. 

C. Franklin's Autobiography. 

D. As You Like It. 

E. The Merchant of Venice. 

F. Twelfth Night. 

G. Silas Marner. 

H. The Vicar of Wakefield. 

J. The House of the Seven Gables. 

K. The Deserted ViUage. 

L. Palgrave's Golden Treasury. 

THIRD YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

M. Joan of Arc. 

N. The English Mail Coach. 

O. Emerson's Essays. 

P. Sesame and Lilies. 

Q. Kmg Henry the Fifth. 

R. Julius Caesar. 



CLASSIFICATION OF REQUIRED READING 

The following charts show by years the reading done in the 
several cities. 

The required reading is classified according to elements 
of interest. 

.1 Description. 

.2 Moral. 

.3 Plot. 

.4 Character. 

.5 Style or beauty. 

The outside reading is classified according to type of 
literature. 

I.I Classic fiction. 

1.1 I Classic tales. 

1.1 2 Short stories. 

1. 13 Juvenile stories. 

1.2 Current fiction. 



2.1 


Epic or narrative poetry. 


2.2 


Descriptive or lyric poetry. 


3.1 


Drama — Tragedy. 


3.2 


Drama — Comedy. 


4.1 


Classic history. 


4.2 


European history. 


4-3 


U. S. history. 


4.4 


Local history. 


4.01 


Historic tales. 



56 



CLASSIFICATION OF REQUIRED READING 57 

5.1 Science — Animals. 

5.2 Science — Plants. 
5.01 Nature stories. 

6 Biography. 

Per cent under required reading is based on the list for 
each year; e.g,^ p. 60, total for boys, under Ivankoe is .686, 
which means that 68.6% of all the boys of the J&rst year 
preferred Ivanhoe to any other of the required reading, and 
.248 under Ivanhoe (4.3) means that 24.8% preferred it for 
its plot. 

Ratio imder outside reading is the ratio of number of 
pupils to amount read; e.g., p. 61, ratio for boys, current 
fiction is 3.404. This is found by dividing the number of 
volumes read, 1702, by the total number of boys, 500, and 
therefore indicates the average number of volumes of cur- 
rent fiction read by each boy. 



53 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 
Eighth Grade— Required Reading 



Ci 
llnthe^WUdeoiess 

2 Sharp'Eyes 

1 

3 Ladyof the Late 

-1 

4 Skeleton in Armor 

: 

5 Hocatius 

6 Sing&gjte^ves 
7Rhoeoia.. 

8 Under tlie Old 'Elm 

9 Incident of the 
French Camp 

10 Under the Willows 

11 Apostrophe to the 
Ocean 

1 

12 To a Skylark 


ies 


I 


II 1 


in 


IV 


V 


VI 


VII 


Totals 1 


C'^^n^t 1 




B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


its 


no 


123 


241 


252 


50 


53 


94 


86 


32 


26 


47 


49 


30 


31 


604 


620 






.1 


5 


4 


29 


38 






14 


6 














48 


48 


080 


077 


.2 






10 


9 






21 


IG 














31 


25 


.051 


.040 


.3 


10 


9 


19 


16 


10 


15 


15 


20 


8 




16 


10 


5 


6 


83 


76 


.137 


1-123 


.4 






38 


21 






3 


12 














41 


33 


.068J052J 


'ot. 


15 


13 


% 


84 


10 


15 


53 


54 


8 




16 


10 


5 


6 


203 


182 


.886 


292 


.1 






24 


16 






2 


4 














26 


20 


.043 


.032 


.2 


4 


4 










1 
















5 


4 


.009 


.007 


.3 










10 


12 


1 




G 


4 


7 


6 


4 


4 


28 


26 


.046 


042 


,4 






6 


7 






2 


6 














8 


13 


.013 


.021 


ot. 


4 


4 


30 


23 


10 


12 


6 


10 


6 


4 


7 


6 


4 


4 


67 


63 


.111 


102 


.1 














1 


12 














1 


12 


002 


.020 


.3 


40 


49 


52 


73 


21 


26 


9 


13 


10 


8 


10 


14 


12 


16 


154 


199 


.255 


521 


.4 


10 


8 


16 


17 






9 
















35 


25 


058 


.040 


.5 


3 


2 


15 


16 






1 
















19 


18 


.031 


029 


ot. 


53 


59 


83 


106 


21 


26 


20 


25 


10 


8 


10 


14 


12 


16 


209 


254 


.346 


i410 


.1 














1 


1 














1 


1 


.002 


.0(J1 


.2 


4 


4 












2 






4 








8 


6 


.013 


.010 


'ot. 


4 


4 










1 


3 






4 








9 


7 


.015 


.011 


.1 














3 












2 




5 




.009 



















2 
















2 




.003 




.3 





6 












6 


4 




5 


4 






18 


16 


.0301.026 


A 
















3 
















3 




.005 


ot. 


9 


6 










5 


9 


4 




5 


-1 


2 




25 


19 


.042 


.031 








































.1 














1 


1 










4 


4 


5 


5 


.009 


.008 


.2 


















2 


2 










2 


2 


.003 


.003 


.3 


5 


7 












2 




5 










5 


14 


,009 


023 


.4 
























3 








3 




.005 


rot. 


5 


7 










1 


3 


2 


7 




3 


4 


4 


12 


24 


.021 


.030 


.1 






6 


5 






2 








2 


3 






10 


8 


.017 


.01.3 


•^ 






10 


9 






















10 


9 


.017 


.015 


.1 














2 
















2 




.003 




.3 
















3 
















3 




005 


.4 














2 












1 


2 




.003 




'ot. 














4 


3 














4 


3 


.006 


.005 


.1 














6 
















6 




.010 








3 


7 






2 
















5 


7 


009 


.011 


'ot. 






3 


7 






8 
















11 


7 


.019 


.011 










































90 


93 


22S 


234 


41 


53 


100 


107 


30 


19 


44 


40 


127 


30 


560 


576 


.9.30 


929 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 



59 





1 







i. 


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^ 


1 


^ 


o 


s 


^ 
o 


i 


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§ 


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q 


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i. 


s 




8 


CO 


8 


i 


1 


53 




i 


i. 


o 
o 


i 


i 


8 


S 


s 


03 
O 


i 


i 


i 


i 


13 




.2 


" 




s 


i 




i 


1 




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S 


CO 


q; 


g 


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s 


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3 


03 


o 


i 




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i 


i 


1 




s 


§ 


i 


i 


^ 


2 


^ 


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03 


CO 


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t- 


03 




s 


-^ 


03 




> 


^ 


CO 


CO 






-* 


S 


(^i 


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^ 


s 










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OS 












3 




n 


g 


u 


3 




3 


S 


J3 


^ 




-* 


03 


^ 


03 






03 




00 


o 


Ol 






03 




3 




> 





a 


s 


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CO 




^ 




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CO 


2 


CO 






CO 




i 


ytl 


« 


^ 


§ 


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S 


?3 


^ 


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CO 
















CO 


CO 


CO 






CO 




s 




> 


- 


S 




?§ 




s 


3 


C5 


35 


-M 


- 


'^ 


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2 
























03 


a 


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^ 


^ 




s 


1 


g 


S 




.-H 




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00 






^ 


^ 


OS 


3 






03 


03 


03 


3 


1 


> 





g 


o 


g 




9 


i 


s 


CO 




CO 




o 


i2 


03 


03 






i-H 


o 






i£5 


2 


1—1 


i 


s 

C 
1 


a 


S 


CO 


g 




CO 


s 


^ 


(M 




-M 




o 


o 


«3 








OI 


CO 


03 


03 


'i* 


00 




1 




3 





s 


§ 


g 




s 


i 


s 


s 


55 


rS 


s 




03 










s 


s 






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OS 








X! 


H 


s 


5 


^ 




s 


g 


g 


O 


•^ 


o 


03 


03 


-* 




03 






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1 


^ 

% 


3 





1 


1 


3 




1 


§ 


1 


g 




s 


OS 




OS 










g 


g 






§ 


§ 


I- 


i 


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o 


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'^ 


2 




g 


i 


§ 


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:;J 


»o 




lO 










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§^ 


^ 


03 


g 




- 


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1 


g 


t- 




s 




s 


§ 




S 
























55 


cS 


03 


i 




o 


o 


g 


s 




^ 


^ 


05 


8 




g 


03 




03 










^ 


^ 






OS 


OS 




i 




.2 




5 

> 










1 


2 

f2 






1 






1 












1 








1 








D 




&H 


i 

1 

3 


2 
u 

1 


ca 

1 
1 




c 

3 




c 
© 




R 

i 

c 

o 

'B, 


.a 

h 



% 

■s 
.2* 

Q 




>> 

1 

f 
i 
1 


1 

1 

i 

2 
Q 




is 
u 

1 

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e 

1 

3 


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u 

1 

.2 
X 

s 




CO 

1 

C 
< 
1 

i 


1 

e 


i 

3 




1 

s 





6o 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 











First Year - 


-K 


.eq 


uired Read 


ing 










Ci 

Pu 
l.Andcnt Mariner 

2.Lays of r^^^ 
Ancient Rome^"* 
3.Vision of 

Sir Launfal 

T 
4.1raiihoe 

T 
5.A Tale of 

Two Cities 

T 

6. Cranford 

7. Sketch Book 

Lamb's '^ 
8..£ssay8 of Elia 

9. Bacon's Essays 

10. Browning- 

Selections 

11. Tennyson's 
IdyillsoftheKing 

12. Palgrave's 
Golden Treasury 
A-Sir Roger de 

Coverly Papers 
D-As you Like It 

T 
E -Merchant of 
Venice 


ies 


I 


II 


III 


IV 


V 


VI 


VII 


Totals PerCen^ 




B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


pils 


132 


140 


211 


?M 


36 


35 


69 


71 


18 


20 


24 


28 


20 


31 


500 


561 






.1 


2 






1 
















2 






2 


3 


.004 


.003 


.2 


6 


21 




1 






















6 


22 


012 


,039 


.3 




1 




4 
















1 








6 




.016 


.4 






































.5 






































Jtal 


8 


22 




6 
















3 






8 


31 


016 


.060 


WJ 


2 




1 


1 


2 












2 


1 






7 


2 


.014 


.004 


.2 


2 


8 


7 


20 






2 
















11 


28 


.022 


.050 


9 


11 


18 




1 


1 


7 


1 


2 








2 


13 


39 


026 


.069 


.3 


2 


3 


9 


8 






1 








3 






1 


15 


12 


.030 


.021 


otal 


4 


20 


27 


46 




1 


4 


7 


1 


2 


3 






3 


39 


79 


078 


140 


.1 


20 


15 


23 


16 


5 





10 


7 


1 


3 


3 




2 


3 


64 


46 


.128 


,030 


.2 


20 


10 


24 


19 


5 


5 


10 


4 


1 




2 


1 


4 


4 


66 


43 


132 


.077 


.3 


28 


27 


54 


58 


5 


1 


19 


22 


8 


3 


8 


6 


2 


9 


124 


126 


.248 


.22.5 


.4 


16 


13 


28 


24 


5 


9 


6 


8 




4 


2 




2 


9 


59 


67 


.118 


1 120 


.5 




3 


ir. 


16 




1 


10 


5 


2 


2 






2 


1 


30 


28 


.060 


,050 


otal 


84 


68 


145 


133 


20 


18 


55 


46 


12 


12 


15 


7 


12 


26 


343 


310 


.686 


.55^ 


.1 






1 
























1 




.002 




.2 






2 
























2 




.004 




.3 






2 


3 






















2 


3 


.004 


.006 


.4 


4 


2 


























4 


2 


.008 


.OOJ 


.5 






































Jtal 


4 


2 


5 


3 






















9 


5 


.018 


.009 














2 




















2 




004 


.1 


11 


7 


9 


10 




1 


2 


2 




3 




4 




1 


22 


28 


.044 


,050 


.2 


1 






1 






2 


2 














3 


3 


006 


,005 


.3 


8 


3 


7 


12 






2 


1 




3 


2 






1 


19 


20 


.038 


.036 


.4 




1 


6 


5 






















6 


6 


.012 


.010 


.5 




6 


4 


3 










5 












9 


9 


.018 


016 


)tal 


20 


17 


26 


31 




1 


6 


5 


5 


6 


2 


4 




2 


59 


66 


118 


.lie 




















































































7 


10 






















7 


10 


.014 


,01J 


.1 




3 






1 


2 


1 










1 






2 




,004 


.011 


.2 




2 








2 












1 


1 




1 




002 


.009 


.3 




6 






6 


1 












1 


3 




9 




018 


.014 


.4 










7 


2 












2 


4 




11 




.022 


.007 


Ual 




11 






14 


7 












5 


8 




23 


23 


[046 


.041 








































.1 












1 


1 
















1 




.002 


.001 


.1 








3 






2 


2 














2 




004 


.009 


.2 








1 




2 




1 




















.007 


.3 
















1 




















.003 


.4 








1 




3 




3 




















.Oi3 


>ul 








6 




5 


2 


7 














2 


18 


004 


032 


.4 














6 






2 


8 






2 


14 


(m 


024 




122 


140 


211 f;36 


36 


35 


69 


71 


13 


20 


24 


28 


10 


31 


ml 


^ 


L22 


LOO 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 



6i 








o 




i 


g 


i 


O 


i 


i 


2 


i 


i 


1 


g 


i 


o 


CO 

o 


CO 

o 


1 


S 


S 


i 


00 

3 


i 


^ 


1 


1 










* 








rH 


CO 








* 




* 










• 


■ 




■ 




* 




CO 




oa 




g 


5 


00 

s 


§ 


s 


1 


i 




i 


i 


1 


g 


3 




1 


1 


1 


^ 


s 

o 


1 


i 


1 


S 


S 


















»-H 


CO 




















' 










• 


* 




lei 








^ 


^-, 


^ 


M* 


i 


CO 


2 
oJ 


^ 


CO 


-«*< 


'^^ 




s 




o 


OS 




OS 




CO 


o 








^ 




J2 





ii^ 


i^ 


^ 


"^ 


o 


-^ 




-^ 




O 












Tl* 








OJ 




S 






h 
























































n 




i 


CO 


o» 


s 


i 


i 


s§ 




u 


S 


S 


s 


«D 


00 


m 


^ 


GO 


S 


00 


^ 


iS 


s 


CO 


«— 








^ 


^ 




CO 


CO 


IM 


OS 


«o 














^ 


^ 






(N 


^ 










^ 




^ 





CO 
















































3 




n 


g 


CO 


o 




•^ 


X) 


.^ 


'* 




•^ 




»1 


0< 
























g 










«o 


'^ 




o 


_^ 


OS 


la 


CO 


00 


CO 


« 


OS 
















w 














o 


(M 












53 




































dNJ 




> 






















































n 


^ 


:d 








§? 


1 








■<*< 


■* 


00 




0« 








<M 


(M 


o* 




M< 




S 


W) 







S 


3 


CO 


-^ 


N 


s 


t^ 
















T" 








r-i 


rH 


-^ 




01 


-^ 


rH 


G 


?^ 










































































































I 




P3 


S 


^ 


" 




s 


'^ 


^ 






















r-l 


r-< 






r^ 






S 


> 


d 


t- 


^ 


g 


-^ 


Ci 


g 


s 


^ 




^; 


CO 


fS 


«o 


















"> 


^ 


la 


i 


•o 






^ 






CO 




on 


^ 




^ 






■^ 






















m 


1 


*3 




ffl 


«3 


^~* 






•"* 


t- 


^ 












"^ 




















r-t 




(4 
























































1 




d 


S 


23 


^ 




^ 


s 


1^ 


05 




OS 


-H 




-^ 


















^ 


-^ 


-^ 


s 


fc* 






















































'^ 


n 


i§ 


;d 


^ 




s 


s 


s 


■^ 




■<1< 


-* 


o 


OS 














01 


(M 


■<f 


00 


^ 


1 


4^ 

2 




d 


1 


33 

CO 


§ 




s 


§ 


i 


S 




s 


OS 


§ 


CO 


CO 


00 




IM 


25 


S 


•-* 




S 


S2 


•^ 






^ 






















































l24 


a 


c^ 


S 


i 


*! 


2 


C5 


1 


^ 




;::J 


■<*< 


;5 


3 


OJ 


CO 


o 


S 


i:; 


s 




l>. 


s 


?i 


■^ 


g 




















'-' 










































d 


o 
■ 


S 


s 


cs 




?2 

rH 


i 


i2 




lO 


05 


^ 


§s 






00 






CO 




^ 




'i* 


■n* 


i 






CQ 


S 


a 


^ 


b- 


iS 


§ 


i 


^ 




23 


o 


«o 


2 














^ 




(N 


CO 




2 

CO 
































































-- 












5 






3 






2 












2 








2 


2 



































































— < 




3 










h 


H 






H 






H 












H 








H 


H 






u 




Pk 














^ 


t' 










































1 


as 

u 


•c 

2 

i 

t« 


1 
1 

c 

1 




1 

3 

u 


1 
» 

e 


0, 

u 

I 

3 

> 

t 

Q 




i 


1 

1 




1 

6 


1 

'S 

c 
o 

V 

a 

2 

3 


is 


1 
- 


S 
2 

X 




1 

c 

1 

i 


2 

c 

8 

B 
CO 


s 

1 




0. 

1 

s 












"* 


-« 








«s 


« 






«-; 


»« 




M 


M 


f»: 


1- 


• 






r« 


















•" 


— 


-* 


*" 




— 


■^ 


r^ 










'^ 


■» 


"»■ 


^ 






■« 


« 


*" 




yB 





68 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 









Second Year 


—Required Reading 










Ci 
Pu 

A-Sir Roger de 

Coverly Papers 
B-Pilgrim's 

Progress 

T 
C-Franklin's 

Autobiography 
D-As you Like It. 

T 
E-The Merchant 
of Venice 

T 

F-Twelfth Night 

G-Silas Marner 

T 
H-Vicar of 

Wakefield 

T 

J-House of 

Seven Gables 

T 

K-Deserted 

Village 

T 

L-Palgrave's 
Golden Treasury 
4. Ivanhoe 
7. Sketch Bo<ik 

11. Tennyson's 
Idylls of the King 

T 
12.Palgrave's 
Golden Treasury 


ies 


I 


II 


III 


IV 


V 


VI 


VII 


Totals 


*erCen^ 




B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


^ 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


>ils 


102 


131 


182 


194 


40 


43 


58 


65 


23 


25 


32 


30 


29 


33 


406 


521 






.1 










5 


















4 


5 


4 


.Oil 


.007 


.2 






10 
























10 




.021 




.4 


4 


5 


15 
























19 





041 


.010 


otal 


4 


5 


25 
























29 


5 


062 


010 


.4 


8 


7 


10 


5 






















18 


12 


039 


.023 


.1 








7 
























7 




.013 


.2 






































.3 


6 


8 


5 


29 






















11 


37 


023 


.071 


.4 


4 


4 


9 


11 






















13 


15 


.028 


.029 


>tal 


10 


12 


14 


47 






















24 


59 


.051 


113 


.1 








5 


2 


2 




5 










3 


4 


5 


16 


.011 


.030 


.2 












3 


4 


4 






2 


1 






6 


8 


.012 


.015 


.3 


21 


27 


17 


20 


5 


5 


4 


10 


8 




10 


8 


5 


4 


70 


74 


1,71 


142 


.4 


8 


9 




5 


2 


5 


6 


10 


3 




5 


8 


8 


6 


32 


43 


.068 


.083 


.5 


4 


3 


13 


9 






5 


7 


2 




3 


2 






27 


21 


.058 


.040 


>tal 


33 


39 


30 


39 


9 


15 


19 


36 


13 




20 


19 


16 


14 


140 


162 


.300 


.310 






































.1 






2 


10 


10 


4 




5 








1 




2 


12 


22 


025 


.042 


.2 








21 


4 


2 


4 


2 








5 


1 


2 


9 


32 


019 


.061 


.3 


20 


29 


17 


13 


5 


9 


14 


9 


4 


5 


4 


2 


3 


3 


67 


70 


.144 


,134 


.4 


9 


8 


4 


18 


5 


9 


9 


7 


1 


6 


6 


3 


7 


4 


41 


55 


.089 


.106 


.5 


3 




2 








8 


2 














13 


2 


.028 


.004 


otal 


32 


37 


25 


62 


24 


24 


35 


25 


5 


11 


10 


11 


11 


11 


142 


181 


305 


.347 


.2 






12 


5 






















12 


5 


025 


010 


.3 


3 


4 




7 


2 




















19 


11 


.041 


,022 


.4 




4 


12 


4 






















12 


8 


.026 


015 


otal 


3 


8 


38 


16 


2 




















43 


24 


092 


.047 


.3 


5 




14 






2 


















19 


2 


.041 


004 


.4 


3 


4 








2 


















3 


6 


,007 


.012 


>tal 


8 


4 


14 






4 


















22 


8 


048 


.016 


.2 






































.3 






































.5 






5 


13 














2 








7 


13 


015 


025 


>tal 






5 


13 














2 








7 


13 


015 


025 










7 
























7 




.013 


.3 






15 










2 


5 


6 










20 


8 


042 


.015 


.1 








5 






2 














4 


2 


9 


.005 


018 


.3 


4 


14 


3 








o 


2 














9 


16 


019 


,031 


.5 




5 


3 




















2 




5 


5 


Oil 


010 


Dtal 


4 


19 


6 








2 


2 










2 




14 


21 


030 


041 


.3 




















8 












8 




015 


.5 






































T 


)tal 




















8 












8 




015 






102 


131 


182 


194 


40 


43 


58 


65 


23 


J5 


il 


30 


il 


33 


466 


521 


1,000 


1.000 



I 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 



63 













3 


1 




2 


1 


s 


^ 


i. 


1 


1 


1 


i 






1 




2 



i. 






i. 


i 


CO 




5? 

CD 




ea 




i 


2 




i 


^ 

^ 


s 


CO 


1 


CJ 




1 


i 


i 




i 




s 


i 






i 


1 


CO 

q 


1 










§ 


t^ 


1 




g 


i 


i 


1 


S 


i 


s 


52 


-<*< 











2 


§ 






CO 


CO 


t- 


i 




CQ 


1 



5< 


i 




00 


i 


s 


^ 


^ 


1 


§3 





-<j* 






r-l 




^ 


s 






^ 


^ 


co 


s 
s 




> 





e? 


^ 


i^ 




(N 





K 


in 





s 


t^ 


Ci 


05 










-- 


-- 










CO 


s 




CO 


S 


^ 


CO 




a 


IS 


00 


^ 


CO 


?» 


t- 





CO 






N 




-* 


CD 






IC 


la 




i 




> 





8 





-ri 




CO 


'^ 


g 


»^ 


I— 


CO 


CO 


01 


lO 






CJ 






CQ 












i 




sa 


g 


S 


a> 




- 


s 


1 


Oi 


OCi 


^^ 


-^ 


■<# 





CQ 




"^ 




Cl 


U3 












i 




> 





S 


S 


^ 






^ 


g 


8 


'^ 


ro 




C3 


O-l 






















-^ 


S3 


1 


a 


c5 


8 









s 


8 


CQ 


CQ 


'^ 


































> 





s 


S 






05 


JS 


CO 
CI 








Ci 


t- 


en 






CO 




a> 


?^ 












i 


9 


n 


s 


S 


^ 




S 


s 


c3 








l^- 


C3 


05 






CQ 




S 


CO 






CQ 


Oi 


^ 






1 







^ 


§ 


g 




S5 


1 


?2 





Ci 


CO 


c 


^ 


CO 
























i 


Si 


cs 


§ 


S 


00 




4C 


^ 













CO 




CO 
























s 


c 




a 





1 


1 


s 




li: 


fe 


g 


If:: 





CJ 


s 


g 


s 






CI 






CI 






CI 


CQ 




1 


ffl 


S 


g 


?2 




5£ 


1 


5q 


So 


g^ 


s 


s 


Ci 


8 






^ 




in 


a 






eg 


CD 




i 




- 





cc 


S 


^ 




CO 


i 


i 


t- 





^ 


» 


05 


xra 






CO 






CO 






^ 


-- 




H 




CQ 


i 


8 


- 




s 


1 


1 


eg 


CD 


as. 


CO 


b- 





Ci 




^ 




Ci 


10 






C3 


CQ 


Ci 


CO 




-J" 

1 





1 










"3 


2 






1 






"a 

1 












2 

f2 








1 


1 












6 







1 

r 

to 


s 

•c 
S 

s 




1 

3 

u 
1^ 


> 
1 

h 



1 

a 


i 




>> 

1 

Q 


1 

1 




i 

1 


1 
6 


a 

2 

1 


1 

3 


2 
1 

1 

5 


S 
y 




J2 

s 

■5 

1 

1 


! 
1 


s 

s 




X) 

a 

1 

s 





64 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 



Third Year-Required Reading 



Pu 
M- Joan of Arc 

N-The English Mail 
Coach 

O •Emerson's Bssays 
P.Se8ame& Lilies 

t 

0-King Henry the 
Fifth 

R-Julhis Caesar 

D-AsYouXikelt 

E-Merchant of 
Venice 

G-Silas Mamer 

H-Vicar of Wakefield 

A-Slr Roger de 
Covedy Papers 

ll.Tennyson's Idylls 
of the King 


ies 


I 


n 


III 


IV 


V 


VI 


VII 


Totals 


Per Cent 1 




B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


B 


G 


)ilS 


116 


112 


170 


192 


33 


47 


46 


46 


17 


15 


30 


46 


28 


35 


445 


493 






.1 






3 


3 






















3 


3 


006 


000 


.2 


2 


2 


4 


7 




















4 


6 


13 


.014 


.026 


.3 






10 
























10 




.023 




.5 


7 


6 


10 


7 


8 


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1 


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6 


27 


26 


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rot. 


9 


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27 


17 


8 


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1 


2 


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10 


46 


42 


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4 


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4 




10 


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5 


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5 


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004 


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1 




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5 


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2 


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5 


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23 


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Pot 


16 


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22 


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6 


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69 


46 


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6 


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1 


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4 










7 


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5 






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20 


24 


19 


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57 


66 


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J34 


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27 


31 


28 


35 




6 


6 


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3 


12 


10 


9 


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84 


97 


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197 


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21 


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30 


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rot. 


51 


60 


67 


93 


5 


9 


IC 


17 




7 


17 


13 


13 


10 


172 


209 


.388 


424 


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1 
























1 




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2 
























2 




.004 


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1 


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102 


33 


47 


45 


46 


17 


15 


30 


40 


28 


35 


445 


498 


.000 


iOO( 



TABLE OF READING BY YEARS 



65 





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1 


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s 


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10 










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2 


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1 




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3 


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1 


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05 







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66 



TABLE— SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS 



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2^§ o 



_g o o 
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J3 i< K 






to 

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TABLE— SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS 



67 





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68 



TABLE— SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS 








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TABLE— SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS 



69 







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70 



TABLE— SUMMARY OF ELEMENTS 





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pa 

1 


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1—1 

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TABLE— RATIOS OF OUTSIDE READING 



71 



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p 

|i 

C >.§ d 
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COMMENTS ON REQUIRED READING 
EIGHTH GRADE, GRAMMAR SCHOOL 

The strongest interest of this year is in plot. It seems, 
therefore, a mistake to give prose selections with so little 
of action. The eagerness with which pupils sought for a 
struggle of some kind in Sharp Eyes and In the Wilderness 
is almost pitiful. It is true that these children should have 
interest in nature, but to give such interest requires a 
preparation which even most teachers do not possess. It 
would therefore be better for the cultivation of the literary 
sense to give selections that fall more within the experience 
of the child. 

Most teachers use The Lady of the Lake in preference to 
the nine short poems. There is no apparent reason for this 
save that it is along the line of least resistance and requires 
less preparation. The interest is largely in plot. Pupils 
that find beauty come almost entirely from the second city, 
where some real work in creation of literary taste is done. 
The nine poems make a rather discouraging showing. 
Even Horatius has but few admirers; The Singing Leaves 
and The Skylark have none. The latter is one of the few 
EngHsh selections that may be called pure poetry. There- 
fore the question arises whether pure poetry, or the poetic 
elements of any poetry, can be taught. The author is 
convinced that in order to give real appreciation of such 
elements, poetry must be studied more for its art, — its 
rhythm, meter, tone values, emotional expressions, — such 

elements as separate it from other literary types. 

72 



HIGH SCHOOL 73 

FIRST YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

Nobody finds character or beauty in The Ancient Mar- 
iner. No one mentions Palgrave's Golden Treasury. Idylls 
of the King is not once cited for beauty. The interest 
seems to center in plot and character. No one mentions 
Lamb's or Bacon's essays. The reason is apparent. 
Appreciation of an essay requires knowledge of literary 
style and does not depend on either plot or personality. 
Therefore the essay is not adapted to pupils of this age, and 
should not be assigned so low down in the course. Most 
prefer Ivanhoe, a very few A Tale of Two Cities, and none 
Cranford. The reason for this is found in the degree of plot 
contained in the several novels, Cranford is fit only for the 
mature mind, with a cultivated literary taste. It cannot by 
any means be classed as an adolescent novel. 

SECOND YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

All have had to read the Sir Roger De Coverley Papers, 
Pilgrim^ s Progress, or Franklin^ s Autobiography, yet out of 
987, only 73 prefer any one of these. But even here is shown 
evidence of growth in character interest. Of the dramas, 
none prefer Twelfth Night. Probably most classes have not 
read it. The Merchant of Venice is easier to teach, yet here 
some interest is manifested in the characters aside from what 
they are doing. The novels show about the same reasons for 
choice as in the first year; the strongest plot has the largest 
following, still there is also a growth in favor of Silas's 
character as against the love affairs of Godfrey Cass. 

A few have read Tennyson and Palgrave and see some 
beauty in them. This is encouraging, though a small 
beginning; and it suggests that such poetry should be put 
further along in the course. 



74 COMMENTS ON REQUIRED READING 

THIRD YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

For the first time, style predominates, in Joan of Arc and 
The English Mail Coach. Yet Emerson is not once men- 
tioned. This only confirms what has been said about the 
essay. De Quincey's essays have dramatic elements, almost 
a plot structure, therefore they make appeal earlier than 
do those of Emerson. 

Of dramas, more have read Julius Ccesar than King 
Henry the Fifth. The former is easier; and the pupil in his 
other school work has learned more about the Roman 
characters. When in this year the selections of the earlier 
years are read, there is evidence of attention to both char- 
acter and style, showing that the same selection in different 
years makes impressions for different reasons. This is 
especially apparent in Silas Marner and in Idylls of the 
King, 



PLOTS OF REQUIRED READING 75 

8'h Grade IstYr. 2dYr. 3dYr. 8th Grade IstYx. 2dYr. 3d Yr. 



1 
.20 
.19 
















P1.0TS 


-REQUIRED reading! 




















/ 


/■ 








CBased on Charts pp. 58-70) | 


















/ 














Boys Girls 
















.18 

1 '7 






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76 PLOTS OF REQUIRED READING 

8th Gd. IsfYr. 2a Yr, ^d Yr. 8tTi Gd. IstYr. 2dYr. 3dYj-. 

























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PLOTS OF REQUIRED READING 

8th Gd. 1st Yr. 2d Yr. 



n 



3dYf. 



.58 
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— 




1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 






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COMPARATIVE CURVES-REQUIRED READING 
Curves arranged on the same scale of per cents, to show 
comparative interest in the several literary elements of the 






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78 



PLOTS OF OUTSIDE READING 



8th Gd. IstYr. 2d Yr. SdYr. 



8th Gd. 1st Yr. 2d Yr. 3d Yr. 



— 


OUTSIDE READING ' ' 
These curves are based on the charts p. 71. The figures 
indicate the ratio between number of pupils and the amount read. 


- 












































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— 




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PLOTS OF OUTSIDE READING 



79 



8th Gd. 



1st Yr. 



2d Yr. 3d Yr. 8th Gd. 



1st Yr. 



2d Yr. 3d Yr. 























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8o PLOTS OF OUTSIDE READING 

SthGd. IstYr. 2dYr. 3d Yr. 8fh Gd. 1st Yr, 2d Yr. 3d Yr. 



I 























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.20 
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.17 
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M 
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.05 
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.03 






















r 


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PLOTS OF OUTSIDE READING 



Si 



hGd. 












1st. Yr. 












2dYr 












3d 


yr. 








COMPARATIVE CURVES- OUTSIDE READING 
Curves arranged on the same scale of ratios, to show 
comparative interestin the several type forms. 
















































._1-J 





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tor/esr~ 


— 



CONCLUSIONS AS SHOWN IN PLOTS 

REQUIRED READING 

DESCRIPTION. — Interest rises during the first year. 
This is probably because it is the form of composition 
emphasized and drilled upon for regents' examinations at 
that time. Many selections from, say, Ivanhoe and The 
Vision of Sir Launfal, are read and analyzed as models. 
But this interest is evidently unnatural, not developed from 
the literary side, and therefore rapidly declines during the 
second year, and during the third also with girls, while it 
rises but slightly with boys. 

MORAL. — The term is used broadly and includes teach- 
ings and lessons as well as morals. Girls rise above the 
boys the first year and continue to do so throughout the 
course. In the first year The Aitcient Mariner and The 
Vision of Sir Launfal are appreciated for the moral. After 
the first year the moral seems to be absorbed in the character, 
as in Silas Marner and Julius Ccesar, and there is an admi- 
ration for and appreciation of these that show a growing 
interest in moral action, which is not apparent from this 
curve except as it is studied in connection with that on 
character. 

PLOT. — In the eighth grade this is about equal for girls 
and boys. It falls rapidly through the first year despite the 
fact that many novels of strong plot are read during this 
year. The tendency for the course is distinctly downward. 
It shows a rise in the second year, but this is misleading and 
is due to the fact that The Merchant of Venice and Silas 

82 



OUTSIDE READING 83 

Marner, the two popular selections, are strong in plot. It 
is fair to assert that, under ordinary conditions, plot interest 
decHnes throughout the course. 

CHARACTER. — This shows little movement in the first 
year, at the period when there is a marked rise in the moral 
curve, but during the second and third years it rises rapidly. 
The reason is to be found in the changing mental state 
of the pupil. He becomes more interested in nobiHty, 
truth, honesty, as opposed to mere action, — making war or 
making love. 

STYLE. — This is of slow and feeble growth. It is, how- 
ever, of interest to note that it does grow. The writer has 
read these reports with an effort to determine how much of 
this growth is inherent or instinctive and how much is the 
result of class training. The records are too few for a defi- 
nite conclusion, but there is little apparent evidence of the 
culture coming from the classroom. 

OUTSIDE READING 

CLASSIC AND CURRENT FICTION. — The writer has not 
presumed to make anything like an accurate division be- 
tween these two classes. Probably no two students of 
literature would agree on such a divison. The term 
current fiction has been used to indicate not only that which 
is new, but also that wliich, though it may be in its second 
or third decade, is considered cheap. Mary J. Holmes and 
Augusta Wilson have therefore been placed in this class. 

Classic fiction means not only what is old and tried, but 
includes some current literature in which merit seems 
beyond question. The Kentucky Cardinal and The Lady of 
the Decoration are in this group. Library lists prepared for 



84 CONCLUSIONS SHOWN IN PLOTS 

our large cities have been freely consulted, but the writer 
has often been compelled to rely on his own judgment. 

The comparison of these two curves will show a rapid 
decline in the quality of fiction read during the first high 
school year. In the grammar grades most of the reading 
is directed, while there is a freedom in the high school that 
at first leads to license. During the second year, boys' 
reading improves and girls' reading about holds its own. 
In the third year, girls' reading improves slightly and boys' 
reading slightly retrogrades. This retrogression is, how- 
ever, apparent only in fiction, and it is so slight that other 
records would be required to verify it. The general fact 
is that the reading which is poor in the first year materially 
improves in the rest of the course. The cause for this 
improvement is hard to trace. It does not seem to come 
directly from the English course. After a careful reread- 
ing of the reports the author inclines to the behef that the 
improvement is due to greater maturity and to the culture 
that comes from general education. Current fiction is 
read almost entirely for plot; this is not true of classics. 
Those who have read moderately have a wider range and 
give more intelligent opinions. In the earlier years girls 
prefer plots emphasizing patience; and many speak of some 
favorite novel as "deep and mysterious;" while boys look 
for action, at first physical and later moral. A large 
amount of cheap literature seems to paralyze and deaden 
opinion. 

JUVENILE FICTION. — Girls read less juvenile fiction than 
boys do. Their fine is continuously downward, and at the 
end of the third year they have practically finished. Boys 
seem to read more in the second than in the first year. 
This is, however, misleading and due to the second city. 



OUTSIDE READING 85 

where the boys evidently had just heard of Barbour's 
books and proceeded to make up for what they missed 
before. 

No attempt was made to separate good juvenile books 
from poor books. This seemed hardly necessary even if it 
had been possible. The juvenile literature read is of high 
order. Even the Alger and the Henty books find Httle 
favor, and interest seems to center in such homely heroes 
as the Half -Back and such real boys as Tom Sawyer. 

POETRY. — The girls throughout the investigation mention 
more poetry than the boys do. The decline in the first 
year is hke that of classic fiction, but the rise is constant 
thereafter. The interest is far greater in epic than in 
descriptive poetry, and as a matter of fact the story is the 
strongest element of interest, though poetic form must have 
some unconscious influence or the line would not rise to 
such a height. 

DRAMA. — Very little drama is read in the grades, 
probably because there is very little that is fitted to be 
read there. But the rise through the high school course 
is rapid and constant. This rise with that of poetry goes to 
effect the decline in fiction mentioned in the upper years. 
The "recommended" reading of The Merchant of Venice 
and Julius Coesar may somewhat account for this. But 
doubtless the stronger reason is, that an art form like the 
drama, which has lived for thousands of years, furnishes 
proper nourishment to the normal mind in its regular 
adolescent growth. 

HISTORY. — This chart is not readily interpreted. There 
is no apparent reason for the rise in the third year. Inas- 
much as the larger part of this reading consists of history 
stories, the writer is not inclined to draw serious conclusions 



86 CONCLUSIONS SHOWN IN PLOTS 

from it. Yet the fact that girls and boys follow almost 
parallel lines would suggest that there is some general 
cause for the tendency. 

SCIENCE AND BIOGRAPHY. — Scicncc has been limited 
largely to stories about plants and animals. The girls 
read more of these in the eighth grade, elementary school, 
and the third year high school; and the boys more in the 
first and second years of high school. The biology course 
of the first year does not seem to have had a very favorable 
influence upon this kind of literature. Interest in biography 
is so slight that it is almost negligible and gives no war- 
ranted conclusion. 

Throughout the investigation, an effort has been made 
to ascertain whether the required reading of the English 
course affects the outside reading. In many individual 
cases, it appears that it does. There are more instances 
where this seems true of the drama than of any other type. 
A great many reports were reread to ascertain the extent 
of this relation. In the second city this was more apparent 
than elsewhere, but occurrences were not sufficiently fre- 
quent, nor the relation close. In the third city there is one 
notable instance of this. The girls in the second year who 
like the required drama prefer in outside reading either 
drama or poetry. 



FIRST CHOICE 

Under question 6 the pupil was asked to tell which 
books, stories, or poems he particularly liked, and why he 
liked them. The reasons for liking them, where they 
were unique or suggestive, have already been given by 
cities under the several years. 

Below is the list of first choices as given by all who replied 
to the question. The list is tabulated according to years, 
and, so far as possible, the titles have been placed under 
the several subdivisions of fiction, poetry, drama, etc. 
The numerals after each title give the number recorded, 
those before show the class of literature to which the selec- 
tion belongs (see p. 56); e.g., ^'1.13 Being a Boy, 9" means 
Being a Boy is a juvenile story and 9 gave it as first choice. 

EIGHTH GRADE, GRAMMAR SCHOOL 

Boys 

1. 13 Alger's Books, 3. 4.3 Boys of 1812, 2. 

1. 13 Andy Gordon, i. 2.2 Brook, The (Tennyson), 

6 Barnum's Own Story, i. 12. 

1. 13 Beautiful Joe, 3. 1.2 Buccaneers and Pirates 

1. 13 Being a Boy, 9. of Our Coasts, 2. 

1. 13 Birds' Christmas Carol, 1.13 Camping on the St. Law- 

The, 4. rence, 3. 

1. 13 Black Beauty, 9. 1.13 Canoemates, 6. 

I.I Bow of Orange Ribbon, 1.13 Careers of Danger and 

The, 16. Daring, 3. 

1. 13 Boy's Life on a Prairie, 3. 1.13 Cash Boy, i. 

1. 13 Boys of St. Timothy's, 4. 1.13 Cast up by the Sea, i. 

87 



88 



FIRST CHOICE 



1. 13 Christmas at Holly Hill, 

I. 
1. 13 Cleared for Action, 3. 

1.1 Cooper's Works, iS. 

1. 13 Crimson Sweater, The, 
10. 

1.2 Crossing, The, 3. 

1. 13 Don Carlos Ranch, i. 
1. 13 Dream of Summer, i. 

5 Electrical Books, 2. 
2.1 Enoch Arden, 38. 

2.1 Evangeline, 41. 

6 Farragut's Life, i. 
5 Fire, i. 

1.2 Flyers, The, i. 

1. 1 3 For the Honor of the 
School, 3. 

1. 13 Four in Camp, 3. 

1. 13 From School to Battle- 
field, I. 

1.2 Graustark, 3. 

1. 13 Guert Ten Eyck, i. 

1. 13 Half-Back, The, 20. 

1. 1 3 Henty Books, The, 3. 

1. 13 Herbert Carter's Legacy, 
I. 

I. II Hero Tales, 3. 

4.2 History of England, A 
Child's, 3. 

I.I House of the Seven Ga- 
bles, The, 2. 

1. 13 Island Refugees, i. 

I.I Ivanhoe, 22. 

1. 1 3 Jack in the Rocldes, 2. 



1. 13 Jack, the Young Ranch- 
man, 2. 
3.1 Julius Caesar, 8. 
1. 13 Julius the Street Boy, 3. 
1. 13 Lakerim Athletic Club, 2. 
7 Lamb's Essays, 2. 

1. 1 1 Lamb's Tales, 2. 

4 Land of the Long Night, 

The, 5.^ 
1. 13 Last Cruise of the Spit- 
fire, The, I. 

1.1 Last of the Mohicans, 

The, 12. 
6 Lincoln's Life, 3. 
1. 1 3 Little Colonel Series, 

The, 3. 
6 Lives of the Presidents, 2. 
2 Longfellow's Poems, 15. 

1.2 Long Trail, The, 2. 

1.1 Man without a Country, 

The, 24. 

3 . 2 Merchant of Venice, The, 

20. 

1 . 1 2 Message to Garcia, A, 1 2. 
2.1 Miles Standish, The 

Courtship of, 30. 
6 Napoleon's Life, 3. 

5 Ocean, Stories of the, 2. 

1. 1 3 On the Firing Line, 4. 
1. 13 One of the 28th, i. 

1. 1 3 Out on the Pampas, i. 
1. 1 Perfect Tribute, The, 6. 
1. 1 3 Prince and the Pauper, 
The, 3. 



EIGHTH GRADE 



89 



1.2 Prospector, The, 6. 

1. 1 3 Rebecca of Sunnybrook 

Farm, 8. 

1.2 Red Rock, 2. 

1. 1 3 Robinson Crusoe, 3. 

1. 13 Robson Holsom, i. 

1. 13 Santa Claus's Partner, 

5- 
1. 13 Search for Andrew Field, 

The, 4. 
5.1 Seton, Ernest Thompson, 

Books, 3. 

2.1 Sheridan's Ride, 8. 

1. 13 Shifting for Himself, 3. 

1.2 Silent Places, The, 2. 

1. 1 2 Sketch Book, The, 2. 

I. II Sleepy Hollow, The Leg- 
end of, I. 

1. 1 3 Slow and Sure, i. 

1. 1 3 Soldier Boy, The, i. 

I.I Spy, The, 7. 

4 Stoddard's Books, 5. 



1. 1 3 Store Boy, 2. 

1. 13 Sustained Honor, 2, 

I.I TaUsman, The, 7. 

1. 1 3 Tom Brown, i. 

1. 1 3 Tony the Hero, i. 

1. 1 3 Treasure Island, 17. 

1. 13 Twenty Thousand 

Leagues under the Sea, 
I. 
I.I Two Years before the 

Mast, 20. 
I.I Uncle Tom's Cabin, 14. 
1. 13 Under the Mikado's 

Flag, I. 
2.1 Vision of Sir Launfal, 

The, 8. 
5.1 White Fang, i. 
2 Whittier's Poems, 28. 
1. 13 With Kitchener in the 

Soudan, i. 
1. 1 3 With Roberts to Pre- 



Girls 

1. 13 Beauty and the Beast, i. 1.13 

1. 1 3 Betty Wales, 9. 1.2 

1. 13 Birds' Christmas Carol, 1.2 

The, 17. 2.1 

1. 1 3 Black Beauty, 4. 2.1 

1.1 Bow of Orange Ribbon, 1.2 

The, 40. 1. 13 

1. 13 Bravest of the Brave, 1.13 

The, I. 2.1 

1.2 Brewster's Millions, 8. 1.13 



toria, I. 



Canoemates, 2. 
Crisis, The, 4. 
Doctor, The, 2. 
Dora, 5. 

Dying Soldier, The, 6. 
Eben Holden, 3. 
Eight Cousins, 5. 
Elsie Dinsmore, 10, 
Evangeline, 74. 
Every-day Girls, 2. 



90 



FIRST CHOICE 



2.1 First Snowfall, The, 3. 
1. 13 Foreman Jennie, 2. 

2.2 Fringed Gentian, The, 3. 
I. II Grandfather's Chair, 5. 
1. 13 Gypsy's Year at the 

Golden Crescent, 2. 

1. 13 Half-a-dozen House- 
keepers, 5. 

1.13 Half-Back, The, 6. 

I.I I Hero Tales, 3. 

1. 1 3 Huckleberry Finn, 4. 

1.1 Ivanhoe, 16. 

1. 1 3 Jack and Jill, 2. 

1.2 Janice Meredith, 6. 

2.1 Jessica's First Prayer, 2. 

3.1 Julius Caesar, 4. 

2.2 Katrina, 2. 

1. 13 Kristy's Surprise Party, 

I. 
7 Lamb's Essays, 6. 
4 Land of the Long Night, 

The, 8. 
1.13 Larry, i. 

1.1 Last of the Mohicans, 

The, 2. 

2.2 Little by Little, i. 

1 . 1 3 Little Colonel Series,The, 

5- 
1. 1 3 Little Women, 16. 
2 Longfellow's Poems, i. 
6 Makers of History, i. 
1. 1 Man without a Country, 

The, 42. 
6 Marco Polo, Story of, i. 



3 . 2 Merchant of Venice, The , 
26. 

1. 1 2 Message to Garcia, A, 9. 

1.1 Mill on the Floss, The, 8. 

1.2 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cab- 

bage Patch, 4. 
6 Napoleon's History, 4. 
1.2 Nedra, 2. 
2.1 O Captain! My Captain 15. 

1. 13 Old-fashioned Girl, An, 2. 
I.I Pathfinder, The, 13. 

1. 13 Patty Books, The, 5. 
2.1 Paul Revere's Ride, 3. 

1.1 Perfect Tribute, The, 6. 
1. 1 3 Prince and the Pauper, 

The, II. 
1. 1 3 Rebecca of Sunnybrook 
Farm, 4. 

1.2 Red Rock, 7. 

I.I I Rip Van Winkle, 4. 
1. 13 Santa Claus'sPartner, 35. 
1. 1 3 Search for Andrew Field, 
The, 8. 

2.1 Sheridan's Ride, 5. 

1. 1 2 Sketch Book, The, 3. 

1.2 Standish of Standish, 7. 

1.1 Talisman, The, 7, 

1. 1 3 Timothy's Quest, 12. 

1 . 13 Tip Lewis and His Lamp, 

I. 
1. 13 Tom, Dick, and Harriett, 

2. 
1. 1 3 Treasure Island, 21. 

1.2 Two Orphans, The, i. 



FIRST YEAR 



91 



I.I Uncle Tom's Cabin, 44. 
2.1 Vision of Sir Launfal, 
The, 8. 



1. 1 3 Wreck of the Golden 

Fleece, The, i. 
1. 1 3 Young Rajah, The, i. 





FIRST YEAR, 


HIGH 




5oy5 


4.01 


Abbott's History, i. 


I-I3 


1.2 


Adrift in New York, 4. 


1.2 


1.2 


Affair Next Door, The, 


I-I3 




16. 


1.2 


I-I3 


American Boy, The, 4. 


S-i 


I. II 


Ancient Heroes, 3. 


4 


I-I3 


Annapolis Plebe, i. 




I-I3 


Arabian Nights, 4. 


1. 1 


1.2 


Arms and the Woman, 4. 


2.2 


1.13 


Around the World in 
Eighty Days, i. 


I.I 


1.13 


Athletics and Hunting, 






2. 


1.2 


6 


Autobiography of Ben- 


I.I 




jamin Franklin, 3. 


I-I3 


I-I3 


Barbour's Books, 3. 


1.2 


I.I 


Ben Hur, 5. 


1.13 


5.1 


Biography of a Grizzly, 
The, 2. 


1.2 


I-I3 


Black Beauty, i. 


I.I 


1.2 


Blazed Trail, The, 4. 


I.I 


1.2 


Brewster's MiUions, 24. 


1.13 


I-I3 


By Right of Conquest, 


I.I 




6. 


1.2 



SCHOOL 

Cadet Days, i. 

Call of the Wild, The, 12. 

Captains Courageous, i. 

Cardigan, 7. 

Cattle Brands, i. 

Century Book of Facts, 

The, I. 
Choir Invisible, The, i. 
Concord Hymn, 3. 
Connecticut Yankee in 

King Arthur's Court, 

A, 6. 
Conspirators, The, i. 
Cooper's Books, i. 
Crimson Sweater, The, 3. 
Crisis, The, 10. 
Dan the Newsboy, 2. 
Daughter of Anderson 

Crow, The, 4. 
David Copperfield, 5. 
Deerslayer, 7. 
Dick Meriden's Ruse, i. 
Dickens's Works, 5. 
Doctor, The, 4. 



92 



FIRST CHOICE 



1.2 Donovan, 2. 

1.2 English Orphans, The, 3. 

2.1 EvangeUne, 2. 

1. 1 3 Fighting to Win, i. 

1.2 Firing Line, The, 4. 

1. 1 2 Fisherman's Luck, 2. 

1. 1 3 For the Honor of the 

School, 2. 

1.1 Forest Lovers, 2. 

1.2 Glengarry School Days, 

2. 

1.2 Gordon Keith, 6. 

1.2 Graustark, 7. 

1. 1 3 Great Year, The, 2. 

I.I I Greek Heroes, 6. 

1. 13 Half-Back, The, 24. 

3.1 Hamlet, 8. 

1. 13 Hans Brinker, 10. 

I. II Hawthorne's Tales, 2. 

1. 13 Henty Books, The, 4. 

2.1 Homer's lUad and Odys- 
sey, 2. 

I.I Honorable Peter Stirling, 
The, I. 

I.I Hoosier Schoolmaster, 
The, 8. 

2.1 Horatius, i. 

1.2 Hound of the Basker- 

villes, The, 7. 
1. 13 Huckleberry Finn, 4. 
1.2 In the Sixties, 2. 
1 . 1 2 In the Wilderness, 2 . 
I.I Ivanhoe, i. 
1. 1 3 Jacob Faithful, i. 



I.I John Halifax, Gentle- 
man, 4. 
1. 13 Juan and Juanita, i. 
3.1 Julius Csesar, 5. 
1. 13 Jungle Books, The, 3. 

1.1 Kidnapped, 2. 

1.2 King's Pardon, 3. 
I.I Kipling's Works, i. 

4 Land of the Long Night, 

The, I. 
I.I Last of the Mohicans, 

The, II. 

1.1 Leather Stocking Tales, 

I. 

1.2 Leighton Homestead, 

The, 2. 

1.1 Les Miserables, 3. 

4 Liberty of Texas, 2. 
1. 13 Life at West Point, i. 

1.2 Lion and the Mouse, 

The, 3. 

1. 13 Little Colonel Series, 
The, 2. 

1.2 Little Shepherd of King- 
dom Come, The, 6. 

4 Long Walls, The, i. 

2 Longfellow's Poems, 2. 

1.1 Lorna Doone, 3. 

4 Lost in the Jungle, i. 
4 Lure of the Labrador 
Wild, The, i. 

1.2 McGrath's Books, i. 

1.2 Maid of the Mohawk, 
2. 



FIRST YEAR 



93 



1.2 Main Chance, The, 4. 

1. 13 Maldng the Nine, 2. 

1.2 Man from Glengarry, 

The, 2. 

1.2 Man on the Box, The, 2. 

I.I Man without a Country, 

The, 10. 

1.1 Marble Faun, The, i. 

1. 12 Masterpieces of Elo- 
quence, I. 

3 . 2 Merchant of Venice, The, 

20. 

1. 1 2 Message to Garcia, A, 2. 
I.I Nicholas Nickleby, 2. 
I.I Ninety-three, i. 

I.I I Old Greek Stories, 2. 

1 . 1 3 Oliver Bright's Search, i . 

I.I Oliver Twist, i. 

1. 1 3 On the School Team, i. 
1. 1 3 On Your Mark, i. 

4 Out on the Pampas, i. 
1. 13 Painted Desert, The, i. 

2.1 Paul Revere's Ride, 7. 

1.2 Peter, 3. 

1.1 Pickwick Papers, 2. 

1. 1 3 Plebe at West Point, i. 

5 Popular Mechanics, 3. 
5 Power Boating, 3. 

1. 13 Prince and the Pauper, 

The, I. 

1. 1 3 Princess Majestic, i. 

1.2 Ranson's Folly, 5. 
1.2 Red Rock, 8. 
1.13 Red Trail, i. 



1.2 Richard Carvel, 4. 
1. 1 3 Robinson Crusoe, 4. 
1. 13 Roughing It, i. 

1.1 Scott's Novels, i. 

1.2 Sea Wolf, The, 2. 

1.2 Seats of the Mighty, 
The, 2. 

5.1 Sharp Eyes, 3. 

1.2 She, 2. 

2.1 Sheridan's Ride, 10. 

1.2 Sherlock Holmes, i. 
2.2 Ship of State, 8. 

1. 13 Shipwreck, i. 
I.I Silas Marner, 4. 

2.1 Sir Galahad, 2. 
1. 1 3 Six Girls, i. 

1.2 Spinner in the Sun, A, 4. 

1. 1 Spy, The, 6. 

2 Star-Spangled Banner, 

The, 6. 
1. 13 Story of a Bad Boy, 

The, I. 
1. 13 Story of the Indians, 6. 
1. 1 3 Strange Flaw, 2. 

1.2 Study in Scarlet, A, 2. 
I.I Tale of Two Cities, A, 5. 
1. 13 Tanglev/ood Tales, 2. 

1. 13 Tom Afloat, 2. 
1. 13 Tom Brown's School- 
days, 10. 
1 . 1 3 Tom, Dick, and Harriett, 

7- 
1. 13 Tom Sawyer, Adven- 
tures of, II. 



94 



FIRST CHOICE 



1. 13 Tom the Reporter, i. 

1. 1 3 Tomlinson's Books, i. 

1.2 Trail of the Lonesome 
Pine, The, 2. 

1. 13 Treasure Island, 20. 

1. 13 Treasury Club, The, 2. 

1. 13 Two Little Confeder- 
ates, 16. 

1. 13 Two Little Savages, i. 

1.1 Two Years before the 

Mast, 10. 
1. 13 Under Orders, i. 
1. 1 3 Vayonne, i. 

1.2 Virginian, The, 2. 



1. 13 Washington's Young 

Aids, I. 
1.2 Weavers, The, 2. 
1. 1 3 West Point Treasure, i. 
1. 13 Wetherby's Inning, 2. 
1. 1 3 Wetzel the Scout and 

Indian Fighter, 5. 
1. 13 White and the Blue, The, 

2. 
4 Winning of the West, 

The, I. 
1. 13 With Lee in Virginia, i. 
1. 13 Wonder Book, The, i. 
1. 1 3 Yankee Sailor Abroad, 6. 



Girls 


I.I Adam Bede, 2. 


I-I3 


1. 13 Alcott, Louisa, Works, I. 


I-I3 


1. 13 Alger's Books, i. 


I-I3 


I.I 2 Alhambra, The, 5. 


I-I3 


1. 13 Alice's Adventures in 


1.2 


Wonderland, i. 


I-I3 


1. 13 Almost as Good as a 




Boy, I. 


I-I3 


1.2 Anne of Green Gables, 


1.2 


3. 


1.2 


1. 13 Arabian Nights, 2. 


1.2 


1.2 Argosy, The, 2. 




3.2 As You Like It, 4. 


1.2 


1. 13 Barbara's Heritage, i. 


1.2 


1.2 Barrier, The, i. 


I.I 


1. 13 Beatrice Leigh at Col- 




lege, I. 


1.2 


I.I Ben Hur, 3. 


1.2 



Betsy Ross, i. 
Betty, a Schoolgirl, i. 
Betty Alden, 2. 
Betty Wales, 2. 
Beverly of Graustark, 2. 
Birds' Christmas Carol, 

The, 2. 
Black Beauty, i. 
Black Rock, 3. 
Blazed Trail, The, i. 
Bow of Orange Ribbon, 

The, 8. 
Brass Bowl, The, 2. 
Brewster's Millions, 2. 
Bride of Lammermoor, 

The, I. 
Brushwood Boy, The, 3. 
Call of the Wild, The, 2. 



FIRST YEAR 



95 



1. 13 Captain of the Kansas, 

The, 2. 
1.2 Cardigan, i. 
1.2 Castle Craneycrow, i. 
1. 1 3 Christmas Day in the 

Morning, 2. 
1.2 Clansman, The, i. 
1. 13 Comrades, i. 
1.2 Coniston, i. 
1.2 Connor's Books, 2. 
1.2 Conqueror, The, i. 
1 . 2 Conquest of Canaan,The , 

I. 

1.1 Cooper's Works, I. 

1. 1 3 Crimson Sweater, The, 3. 

1.2 Crisis, The, 2. 
1.2 Crossing, The, 2. 
1. 13 Daisy, i. 

1.2 Dark Marriage Mom, i. 
1.2 Daughter of the Con- 
federacy, A, I. 
1. 13 Daughter of the Rich, A, 

3- 
I.I David Copperfield, 3. 
I.I Deerslayer, The, i. 

1.1 Dickens's Works, i. 

1.2 Doctor, The, 3. 
1.2 Dr. Ellen, 2. 

1.2 Dorothy Vernon of Had- 

don Hall, i. 
1. 13 Down the Ravine, i. 

1. 1 Dred, i. 

1.2 East Lynne, i. 

1. 13 Elsie Books, The, 2. 



1.2 English Orphans, The, i. 

1. 13 Eternal Boy, The, i. 

2.1 Evangeline, 16. 

1.2 Fighting Chance, The, i. 
1.2 Firing Line, The, 2. 

1.2 Four Feathers, I . 

1. 13 Freckles, i. 

1. 13 Gipsy Books, The, 3. 

1. 13 Girl from Montana, i. 

1. 1 3 Girl from the Hills, 2. 

1. 13 Girls New and Old, i. 

1. 13 Girls of the True Blue, 2. 

1. 1 3 Grandfather's Chair, i. 

1.2 Graustark, 2. 

2.2 Gray's Elegy, 9. 

6 Great Men and Famous 

Women, 2. 

1. 1 1 Greek Stories, 5. 

1. 13 Half-Back, The, 14. 

3.1 Hamlet, i. 

1. 1 3 Hans Brinker, 14. 

1.2 Hearts and Masks, 2. 
2.1 Hiawatha, 8. 

1. 1 3 Homeless Waif, i. 

1. 13 Hoosier Schoolboy, The, 
I. 

1.1 Hoosier Schoolmaster, 

The, 6. 

1.2 Hound of the Basker- 

villes, The, 2. 

1.2 House of a Thousand 

Candles, The, 2. 

1. 1 3 Huckleberry Finn, 4. 

1.2 If I Were King, i. 



96 



FIRST CHOICE 



1.2 In the Palace of the 

King, 2. 
1.2 InfeHce, i. 
1. 13 Iron Brigade, The, i. 
6 Irving, Life of, 4. 
1.2 Ishmael, i. 

1.1 Jane Eyre, 3. 

1.2 Janice Meredith, 3. 

1.2 John Halifax, Gentle- 
man, 8. 

1.2 Judith, I. 

1. 13 Jungle Books, The, 3. 

1. 13 Kathie Series, The, 3. 

I.I Kidnapped, i. 

I.I L'Abbe Constantin, 2. 

1 . 1 1 Lady Eleanor's Mantle, i . 

I.I Lady of the Decoration, 
The, 2. 

I.I I Lamb's Tales, 8. 

4 Land of the Long Night, 
The, 9. 

I.I Last Days of Pompeii, 
The, 4. 

1.1 Last of the Mohicans, 

The, 3. 

1.2 Lavender and Old Lace, 

2. 
1.2 Lena Rivers, i. 

1.1 Les Miserables, 2. 
1. 13 Lily Series, The, 2. 

1.2 Lion and the Mouse, 

The, 3. 
1. 1 3 Little Brown Brother, 
The, I. 



1. 13 Little Colonel Series, The, 

4. 

1.1 Little Dorrit, i. 

1. 13 Little Grey House, The, 

I. 
1. 13 Little Lord Faun tleroy, I. 
1. 1 3 Little Maid of Concord 

Town, A, I. 
1. 1 3 Little Princess, 2. 

1.2 Little Shepherd of King- 

dom Come, The, 2. 
1. 1 3 Little Women, 3. 
1.2 Long Arm of Mannister, 

The, 2. 
2 Longfellow's Poems, 8. 

1.1 Lorna Doone, 2. 

1.2 Maid of Honor, i. 

1.2 Major, Charles,Works, i. 

1.2 Man from Home, The, i. 

1.2 Man of the Hour, The, 3. 

1.2 Man on the Box, The, i. 

I.I Man without a Coun- 
try, The, 13. 

1.1 Marble Faun, The, 2. 

1.2 Marcia Schuyler, i. 
6 Marie Antoinette, 4. 
1.2 Marietta, i. 

1.2 Mayor's Wife, The, i. 
3.2 Merchant of Venice, The, 

5- 
1. 1 2 -Message to Garcia, A, 5. 
3.2 Midsummer Night's 

Dream, A, 6. 
I.I Mill on the Floss, The, 3. 



FIRST YEAR 



97 



1.2 Millionaire Baby, The, I. 

1.2 Mrs. Wiggs of the Cab- 
bage Patch, I. 

1.2 Mystery of June 13th, 
The, I. 

I.I I Myths of Greece, 8. 

1.1 Nicholas Nickleby, 4. 

1. 13 Old-fashioned Girl, An, 
I. 

1.2 Old Heidelberg, 2. 

1.2 Old Mam'selle's Secret, 
I. 

1.1 OUver Twist, 5. 

1. 13 Outlaw and the Girls, i. 

1.2 Paul, a Herald of the 

Cross, I. 
2.1 Paul Revere's Ride, 3. 
1. 13 Peggy, I. 

I.I Perfect Tribute, The, i. 
I.I Pickwick Papers, The, 3. 

1.1 Pilgrim's Progress, i. 

1. 13 Prince and the Pauper, 
The, I. 

1.2 Prospector, The, i. 
1.2 Purple Parasol, 2. 

1.2 Quincy Adams Sawyer, 

I. 
1. 13 Ragged Dick Series, The, 

I. 
2.2 Raven, The, 4. 
1.2 Reckoning, The, i. 
1.2 Red Rock, 2. 
1.2 Richard Carvel, 2. 
I.I I Rip Van Winkle, 2. 

Int. in H. S. Eng. — 7. 



1. 1 3 Risen from the Ranks, 3. 
1. 1 3 Robin Hood, i. 
1. 13 Robinson Crusoe, i. 
1.2 Roe, E. P., Works, i. 

1. 1 Rudder Grange, 4. 

1.2 St. Elmo, 4. 

1.2 Samantha at Saratoga, 2. 
1. 13 Santa Claus's Partner, 3. 
1. 13 Scottish Chiefs, i. 
1.2 Sevenoaks, i. 
1.2 Shepherd of the Hills, 
The, I. 

2.1 Sheridan's Ride, 3. 

1.2 Shuttle, The, 2. 
1. 1 3 Sidney, i. 

1.1 Silas Marner, 6. 
1. 1 3 Sink or Swim, i. 

1. 1 2 Sketch Book, The, 2. 

1.2 Sky Pilot, The, i. 
1.2 Southerners, The, i. 

1.2 Spinner in the Sun, A, 2. 

1.1 Spy, The, 4. 

1.2 Standish of Standish, i. 

1. 13 Step by Step, 3. 

7 Stevenson's Essays, 4. 
1. 13 Story of a Bad Boy, The, 

2. 
1. 1 3 Stroke Oar, The, i. 
1. 13 Sweet Girl Graduate, A, 

I. 
1. 1 3 Swiss Family Robinson, 

I. 
I.I Tale of Two Cities, A, 6. 
1 . 1 3 Tales of the Northeast, i . 



98 



FIRST CHOICE 



3-2 

1.2 

1.2 

I.I 
1.2 
1. 13 



1. 1 3 Tanglewood Tales, 2. 
1. 13 Tattered Tom, 2. 
Tempest, The, 8. 
Tempest and Sunshine, 

2. 
Ten Nights in a Bar 

Room, I. 
Thaddeus of Warsaw, 5. 
Thelma, i. 

Tom Brown's School- 
days, 3. 
1. 13 Tom Temple's Career, i. 
1. 13 Tony the Bootblack, i. 
1.2 Trail of the Lonesome 

Pine, The, i. 
1. 1 3 Treasure Island, 2. 
1. 1 3 Trust and Try, i. 
3.2 Twelfth Night, 8. 
1. 1 1 Twice-told Tales, 2. 
3.2 Two Gentlemen of Ve- 
rona, The, 4. 



1. 13 Two Little Confeder- 
ates, I. 

1.2 Two Orphans, The, 2. 

I.I Two Years before the 
Mast, 2. 

I.I Uncle Tom's Cabin, 10. 

1.1 Vicar of Wakefield, The, 

4. 

1.2 Virginian, The, 2. 

4.3 War of Independence 

6. 
1. 1 3 When Patty Went to 

College, 3. 
1. 13 Wide, Wide World, The, 

4- 

5.1 Wild Animals I Have 

Known, 7. 

1.2 Wings of the Morning, 

The, 2. 
1. 13 Wonder Book, The, 2. 
1. 1 3 World of Girls, A, i. 





SECOND YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 






Boys 


I.I 


Adam Bede, 6. 


1.2 Brewster's Millions, 9. 


3-2 


As You Like It, 7. 


1.2 Cardigan, 8. 


I.I3 


Ben Blair, i. 


2.1 Courtship of Miles Stan- 


5-1 


Biography of a Grizzly, dish. The, 18. 




The, I. 


1.13 Crimson Sweater, The, 20 


1.2 


Blazed Trail, The, 6. 


1.2 Crisis, The, 9. 



SECOND YEAR 



99 



1.2 Daughter of Anderson 

Crow, The, 5. 
I.I David Copperfield, 9. 
I.I Deerslayer, The, 10. 

1.1 Dickens's Works, 9. 

1.2 Doctor, The, 4. 

5 Electricity, Books about, 

2. 
2.1 Enoch Arden, 8. 

2.1 Evangeline, 5. 

1.2 First Violin, The, 5. 
1. 13 Five Little Peppers, i. 
1.2 Graustark, 4. 

I. II Greek Heroes, 2. 
1. 13 Half- Back, The, 19. 
3.1 Hamlet, 2. 
1. 13 Hans Brinker, 12. 
2.1 Hiawatha, 8. 

1.1 Hoosier Schoolmaster, 

The, II. 

1.2 Hound of the Basker- 

villes. The, 7. 

1. 13 Huckleberry Finn, 10. 

I.I John Halifax, Gentle- 
man, 12. 

3.1 Julius Caesar, 9. 

1. 13 Jungle Books, The, 10. 

I.I Kenil worth, 3. 

I.I Kidnapped, 9. 

3.1 King Lear, 7. 

2.1 Lady of the Lake, The, 6. 

1. 1 1 Lamb's Tales, 3. 

1 . 1 2 Legend of Sleepy Hollow, 
The, 2. 



1.2 Lion and the Mouse, 
The, 6. 

3.1 Macbeth, 9. 

1.2 Man of the Hour, The, 6. 
1.2 Man on the Box, The, 6. 
I.I Man without a Coun- 
try, The, 6. 

I.I Marble Faun, The, i. 

1. 1 2 Message to Garcia, A, i. 

1. 13 Michael Strogoff, 8. 
I.I Nicholas Nickleby, 4. 
I.I Ninety- three, 3. 

2.1 Odyssey, The, 10. 
I.I Oliver Twist, 2. 

1.1 Quentin Durward, 4. 
1. 13 Robin Hood, 5. 

1. 1 3 Robinson Crusoe, 2. 

1.2 Rose of Old St. Louis, 

The, 4. 
1.13 Roughing It, 5. 

1.1 Scarlet Letter, The, 2. 
1. 13 Scottish Chiefs, 4. 

5 Seton, Ernest Thomp- 
son, Works, 4. 

1.2 She, 6. 

1.2 Shepherd of the Hills, 
The, 8. 

2.1 Sir Galahad, 5. 

2.2 Snowbound, 4. 

2.1 Tales of a Wayside Inn, 

3- 

1.1 Talisman, The, 4. 

1. 13 Tanglewood Tales, 8. 

3.2 Tempest, The, 8. 



lOO 



FIRST CHOICE 



I.I Three Musketeers, The, 1.13 Ulysses, i. 

II. 1.2 Under the Rose, 4. 

1. 13 Tom Sawyer, Adven- 2.1 Vision of Sir Launfal, 

tures of, 4. The, 4. 

1. 13 Treasure Island, 8. i.i Waverly Novels, The, 

1. 13 Two Little Confeder- 5. 

ates, 3. 5.1 Wild Animals I Have 

I.I Two Years before the Known, i. 

Mast, 2. 1. 1 3 Young Auctioneer, i. 



Girls 



I.I 


Adam Bede, 5. 


1.2 


Day of the Dog, The, i. 


1. 12 


Alhambra, The, 2. 


7 


De Quincey, 3. 


3-2 


As You Like It, 9. 


1. 1 


Dickens's Works, 5. 


I.I 


Ben Hur, 4. 


1.2 


Doctor, The, 3. 


5-1 


Biography of a Grizzly, 


1.2 


Edna Lyall's Secret, 3. 




The, 3- 


2.1 


Enoch Arden, 12. 


1.2 


Black Rock, 4. 


2.1 


Evangeline, 15. 


1.2 


Blennerhassett, 4. 


1.2 


Firing Line, The, 2. 


1.2 


Brass Bowl, i. 


1.2 


First Violin, 4. 


2.2 


Brook, The, 6. 


I-I3 


Five Little Peppers, 5. 


I-I3 


Castaway, The, 3. 


1.2 


Graustark, 6. 


1.2 


Cattle King, The, i. 


I. II 


Greek Folk Stories, 8. 


1.2 


Come and Find Me, i. 


I.I 


Guy Mannering, 4. 


I.I 


Connecticut Yankee in 


1.2 


Half a Rogue, i. 




King Arthur's Court, 


3-1 


Hamlet, 8. 




A, 4. 


I-I3 


Hans Brinker, 7. 


1.2 


Conquest of Canaan, 


1.2 


Heart of Jessy Laurie, 




The, 6. 




The, I. 


1.2 


Crisis, The, 5. 


2.1 


Hiawatha, 9. 


1.2 


Crossing, The, i. 


4 


History of Greece, 2. 


1.2 


Daughter of Anderson 


I.I 


Hoosier Schoolmaster, 




Crow, The, 4. 




The, 9. 



SECOND YEAR 



lOI 



2.1 Idylls of the King, 8. 

1.2 Indifference of Juliet, 

The, I. 
I.I Innocents AbroadjThe, 4. 

1.1 Jane Eyre, 9. 

1.2 Janice Meredith, 2. 
1.2 Jerry Junior, i. 

1.2 Joan of the Sword Hand, 
I. 

I.I John Halifax, Gentle- 
man, 10. 

3.1 Julius Caesar, 12. 

I.I Kenilworth, 6. 

I.I Kidnapped, 6. 

3.1 King Lear, 8. 

I.I Lady of the Decoration, 
The, 8. 

2.1 Lady of the Lake, The, 5. 

I.I Last Days of Pompeii, 
The, 5. 

I.I Last of the Mohicans, 
The, 5. 

1.1 Les Miserables, 6. 

4.2 Life in Venice, 4. 

1.2 Lightning Conductor, 

The, I. 
1.2 Lion and the Mouse, 

The, 3. 
1. 1 3 Little Colonel Series, 4. 

1.1 Little Minister, The, 4. 

1.2 Little Shepherd of King- 

dom Come, The, i. 
1. 13 Little Women, 3. 
5.1 Long's Animal Stories, 8. 



1.2 Lords of the World, i. 

1.1 Lorna Doone, 6. 

2 Lowell's Poems, 11. 

1 . 2 Lure of the Mask, The, i . 

3.1 Macbeth, 10. 

1.2 Madam Butterfly, 3. 

2.1 Marmion, 4. 

1.2 Master's Violin, The, i. 

1. 1 2 Message to Garcia, A, 2. 
3.2 Midsummer Night's 

Dream, A, 7. 

1.1 Mill on the Floss, The, 4. 

2.2 Milton's Minor Poems, 5. 

1. 13 Miss Ashton's New Pu- 

pil, I. 

1. 13 Miss Gray's Girl, i. 

1.2 Mr. Crewe's Career, i. 

1.2 Mrs. Creighton's Credi- 
tors, I. 

4 My People of the Plains, 

3- 

1.1 Nicholas Nickleby, 4. 

2.2 Captain! My Captain! 

5. 

1.1 OKver Twist, 4. 

1.2 Opened Shutters, i. 

I.I Other Wise Man, The, 5. 

2.1 Paradise Lost, 3. 

2.1 Paul Revere's Ride, 2. 

5.2 Plants, Stories about, 6. 
1.2 Prisoner of Zenda, The, 

I. 
1.2 Queenie's Whim, i. 
1.2 Quo Vadis, 2. 



I02 



FIRST CHOICE 



1. 1 3 Rab and His Friends, 5. 
1. 13 Rebecca of Sunnybrook 

Farm, 6. 
1.2 Red Rock, i. 
1.2 Reed, Myrtle, Works, i. 
1.2 Richard Carvel, 11. 
1. 1 2 Rip Van Winkle, 2. 
I.I Roughing It, 5. 

1.1 Rudder Grange, 4. 

1.2 St. Elmo, 3. 

1.2 Second Generation, The, 

I. 
3 Shakespeare's Plays, 9. 

5.1 Sharp Eyes, i. 

1.2 Shepherd of the Hills, 

The, I. 

2.1 Sheridan's Ride, 2. 

1.2 Shuttle, The, i. 
2.1 Sir Galahad, 2. 



1. 12 


Sketch Book, The, 2. 


1.2 


Sky Pilot, The, I. 


2.2 


Snowbound, 4. 


1.2 


Spinner in the Sun, A, 3. 


4 


Stoddard's Lectures, i. 


I.I3 


Sweet Girl Graduate, A, 


I.I 


4. 
Tale of Two Cities, A, 6. 


1.2 


Thelma, i. 


1.2 


Treasure of Heaven, 




The, I. 


1.2 


Truth Dexter, i. 


I. II 


Twice-told Tales, 7. 


1.2 


Virginian, The, 2. 


5 


Walden, 6. 


4 


Winning of the West, 




The, 7. 


3.2 


Winter's Tale, A, 8. 


4 


Zigzag Journeys, 3. 



1.1 Adam Bede, 3. 

1. 1 2 Alhambra, The, 6. 

2.2 America, 6. 

1. 13 Andy Gordon, 2. 
3.2 As You Like It, 8. 

1.1 Barnaby Rudge, 5. 

1.2 Battle of the Strong, 

The, 2. 



THIRD YEAR, HIGH SCHOOL 

Boys 

1. 13 Ben Blair, i. 

1.2 Beverly of Graustark, 2. 

1.2 Black Rock, 3. 

1.2 Call of the Wild, The, 2. 

1.2 Coniston, 3. 

1.2 Conquest of Canaan, 2. 

1. 1 Count of Monte Cristo, 
The, 3. 



THIRD YEAR 



103 



2.1 


Courtship of Miles Stan- 


I.I 


John Halifax, Gentle- 




dish, The, 8. 




man, 3. 


I-I3 


Crimson Sweater, The, 6. 


3-1 


Julius Caesar, 14. 


1.2 


Crisis, The, 5. 


I.I 


Kidnapped, 6. 


1.2 


Crossing, The, 2. 


3-1 


King Lear, 4. 


1.2 


Daughter of Anderson 


2.1 


Lady of the Lake, The, 2. 




Crow, The, 3. 


1.2 


Land of Joy, The, i. 


I.I 


Deerslayer, The, 3. 


I.I 


Last of the Mohicans, 


I.I 


Dickens's Works, 4. 




The, 6. 


1.2 


Doctor, The, 5. 


1.2 


Letters of a Self-made 


I.I 


Dumas's Works, 2. 




Merchant to His Son, 2. 


2.1 


Enoch Arden, 6. 


4.2 


Life in Venice, 6. 


2.1 


Evangeline, 5. 


1.2 


Lion and the Mouse, 


1.2 


Firing Line, The, 4. 




The, 4. 


1.2 


First Violin, The, 2. 


1. 12 


Little Rivers, 2. 


1-13 


Five Little Peppers, 2. 


I.I 


Lorna Doone, 3. 


1.2 


Gordon Keith, 2. 


1.2 


Man from Glengarry, 


1.2 


Graustark, 2. 




The, 2. 


I-I3 


Half-Back, The, 8. 


1.2 


Man of the Hour, The, 2. 


3-1 


Hamlet, 6. 


2.1 


Marmion, 8. 


I.I 


Henry Esmond, 9. 


3-2 


Merchant of Venice, 


2.1 


Hiawatha, 4. 




The, 10. 


4 


History of Education, i. 


1.2 


Michael Strogoff, i. 


2.1 


Homer's IHad and Odys- 


I.I 


Middlemarch, 3. 




sey, 7. 


3.2 


Midsummer Night's 


I.I 


Hoosier Schoolmaster, 




Dream, A, 19. 




The, 2. 


I.I 


Mill on the Floss, The, 6. 


2.1 


Horatius, 10. 


1.2 


Octopus, The, 2. 


4 


How the Other Half 


I.I 


OHver Twist, 12. 




Lives, 3. 


1.2 


Oppenheim's Works, 2. 


I.I 


Hugo, Victor, Works, 3. 


4 


Oregon Trail, The, 10. 


I.I 


Hypatia, 4. 


2.1 


Paradise Lost, 4. 


I.I 


Innocents Abroad, 4. 


4-3 


Parkman's Histories, 26. 


1.2 


Jane Cable, 2. 


I.I 


Pathfinder, The, 8. 



I04 



FIRST CHOICE 



2.1 Paul Revere's Ride, 4. 

1.2 Peveril of the Peak, 3. 

1.1 Pickwick Papers, 4. 

1.2 Pit, The, 2. 

I.I Prince of India, The, 4. 

1.1 Quentin Durward, 4. 

1.2 Richard Carvel, 9. 

1.1 Romola, 9. 

1.2 Rose of Old St. Louis, 

The, I. 

1.1 Roughing It, 4. 

3 Shakespeare's Plays, 5. 

1.2 Shepherd of the Hills, 

The, I. 

2.1 Sheridan's Ride, 9. 

1.2 Sky Pilot, The, i. 
2.2 Snowbound, 4. 

2.2 Star-Spangled Banner, 
The,s. 



1.1 Three Musketeers, The, 

10. 
1. 1 3 Treasure Island, 9. 

3.2 Twelfth Night, 12. 

1.1 Twenty Years After, 4. 
1. 1 1 Twice-told Tales, 3. 

1. 13 Ulysses, 3. 

1.2 Under the Rose, i. 
1.2 Virginian, The, 4. 

2 Whittier's Poems, 9. 
1.2 Wings of the Morning, 

The, I. 
4 Winning of the West, 

The, 10. 
3.2 Winter's Tale, The, 7. 
1. 13 With Lee in Virginia, 

3- 
1. 13 Young Carthaginian, 

The, 4. 



Girls 

1.2 Aunt Jane of Kentucky, 1.2 

2. 2.2 

1.1 Austen, Jane, Works, 4. 

1.2 Barbara Winslow, i. 2.1 

2.1 Barrack-room Ballads, 8. 

1.2 Barrier, The, 3. i.i 

1.1 Ben Hur, 9. 

1.2 Beverly of Graustark, 3. 2.1 

1.1 Bible, The, i. 

1.2 Black Rock, 2. i.i 
I.I Bow of Orange Ribbon, 1.2 

The, 6. 1.2 



Brown of Harvard, 2. 

Chambered Nautilus, 
The, 7. 

Coming of Arthur, The, 
10. 

Count of Monte Cristo, 
The, 5. 

Courtship of Miles Stan- 
dish, The, 5. 

Cranford, i. 

Crisis, The, 7. 

Crossing, The, 2. 



THIRD YEAR 



105 



I Daniel Deronda, 4. 

13 Daughter of the Rich, 

A, 3. 

1 David Copperfield, 10. 

2 David Harum, i. 

12 Days Off, 3. 

1 Dickens's Works, 3. 

2 Doctor, The, 3. 

I Dombey and Son, 4. 

I Egyptian Princess, An, 

1 Emerson's Essays, 2. 

2 English Orphans, The, 3. 
I Enoch Arden, 8. 

1 Evangeline, 6. 

13 Fairy Tales, 2. 

13 Final Reckoning, A, 2. 

2 Friend of Ccesar, A, 2. 
Garden of Allah, The, 3. 
Girl in Waiting, The, i. 
Graustark, 2. 
Guy Mannering, 4. 
Hamlet, 6. 
Heart of Midlothian, The, 

4. 

Her Brother's Letters, 2. 
Hiawatha, 7. 
Honorable Peter Stirhng, 

The, I. 
Hoosier Schoolmaster, 

The, 7. 
Hypatia, 4. 
Idylls of the King, 12. 
2,1 Iliad, The, 6. 



1.2 In Connection with the 
DeWilloughby Claim, 
2. 

1.2 Jane Cable, i. 

1.1 Jane Eyre, 6. 

1.2 Janice Meredith, 2. 

I.I John Halifax, Gentle- 
man, 6. 
I.I Kidnapped, 2. 
3.1 King Lear, 9. 

3.1 King Richard the Third, 

8. 

4.3 Knickerbocker's History 

of New York, i. 

1.2 Knight of the 19th Cen- 

tury, A, 2. 
I.I Lady of the Decoration, 
The, 4. 

1.1 Last of the Mohicans, 

The, 4. 

1.2 Lavender and Old Lace, 2. 
1.2 Lena Rivers, 2. 

1.1 Les Miserables, 6. 

1.2 Lion and the Mouse, 

The, I. 

1. 1 2 Little Rivers, i. 

1. 1 3 Little Women, 3. 

1.2 Little Shepherd of King- 
dom Come, The, 3. 

2.1 Longfellow's Poems, 7. 

I.I Lorna Doone, 4. 

2.1 Lucile, 5. 

I.I 2 Luck of Roaring Camp, 
The^ 2. 



io6 



FIRST CHOICE 



1.2 

3-1 
6 

1.2 



I.I 

1.2 
2.1 

3-2 

3-2 



Lure of the Mask, The, 2. 

Macbeth, 5. 

Makers of History, i. 

Man from Glengarry, 
The, 2. 

Man without a Coun- 
try, The, 4. 

Margaret Lisle, i. 

Marmion, 6. 

Measure for Measure, 7. 

Merchant of Venice, The, 



3.2 Midsummer Night's 
Dream, A, 9. 

1. 1 Mill on the Floss, The, 6. 

2.2 Milton's Minor Poems, 7. 
1.2 Mr. Crewe's Career, 2. 
1.2 Moonstone, The, 3. 

1. 1 Newcomes, The, 4. 
I.I Old Curiosity Shop, 3. 
1. 13 Old-fashioned Girl, An, 4. 
6 Oliver Goldsmith's Life, 

I. 
I.I Oliver Twist, 9. 
2.1 Paradise Lost, 3. 
I.I Pilgrim's Progress, The, 2. 
1. 1 2 Plain Tales from the 

Hills, I. 
1. 1 2 Poe's Short Stories, i. 
I.I Pride and Prejudice, 2. 

2.1 Princess, The, 7. 

1.2 Prophet of the Great 

Smoky Mountains, 
The, 3. 



1.2 Ramona, 2. 
1. 13 Rebecca of Sunnybrook 
Farm, 4. 

1.2 Refugees, The, 3. 

4.3 Revolutionary War Sto- 

ries, 2. 
1.2 Richard Carvel, 4. 
I.I Rise of Silas Lapham, 

The, 3. 
3.1 Romeo and Juliet, 12. 

1.1 Romola, $. 

1.2 Rose of Old St. Louis, 

The, 2. 
1.2 St. Elmo, I. 

1.1 Scarlet Letter, The, 5. 

1.2 Seats of the Mighty, 

The, 2. 
1.2 Shepherd of the Hills, 
The, 2. 

1.1 Silas Marner, 2. 

2.2 Snowbound, 6. 

1.2 Spinner in the Sun, A, 
I. 

1.2 Spoilers, The, i. 

2.2 Star-Spangled Banner, 
The, 4. 

7 Stevenson ^s Essays, 2. 

I.I Tale of Two Cities, A, 2. 

1. 1 Talisman, The, 2. 

3.1 Tempest, The, 8. 

2 Tennyson's Poems, 6. 

1. 13 Tom Sawyer, Adven- 
tures of, 2. 

1. 1 3 Treasure Island, 2. 





THIRD YEAR 107 


I-I3 


Two Little Confederates, i.i Vanity Fair, i. 




2. I.I Vicar of Wakefield, The, 


I.I 


Twenty Years After, 3. 4. 


I-I3 


Uncle Remus, 2. 1.2 Virginian, The, 3. 


1. 12 


Van Dyke's Short Stories, i.i Virginians, The, 2. 




3. 1.2 Weavers, The, I. 



io8 



TABLE OF "FIRST CHOICE" 



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PLOTS OF "FIRST CHOICE" IO9 

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.31 
.30 
.29 
.28 
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COMMENTS ON PLOTS OF FIRST CHOICE 

A comparison of the curves of first choice with the curves 
of the total outside reading is of interest. 

CLASSIC FICTION. — This falls during the first year, as it 
does in the ''total;" but with girls it falls lower, and with 
boys there is no break in the rise after the first year. The 
course is not materially altered where classic tales and 
short stories are included. 

CURRENT FICTION. — There is the same rapid rise during 
the first year and decline during the years following, with 
the position of the boys and girls reversed. It is possible 
that boys take such fiction more seriously. 

JUVENILE FICTION. — This differs Httle from the former 
curve, except that while in the second city the second year 
average for the boys rises it does not rise so high as in 
the general list. 

POETRY. — Although a large amoimt of poetry is read in 
the eighth year, only a small per cent is given first choice. 
The second and third years also show decrease of per cent 
of first choice. 

DRAMA. — These lines, as in the other chart, are continu- 
ously upward, with a slight difference between boys and 
girls. 

Thus far the curves of first choice tend to agree with 
those of the total outside reading, but in history, science, 
and biography the reports are so few and the answers so 
indefinite that no tendency of taste is apparent from the 
curve. 

While these curves vary from those of total reading, they 

Int.inH. S. Eng. — 8. 1 13 



114 COMMENTS ON PLOTS OF FIRST CHOICE 

tend to corroborate the statements and emphasize the gen- 
eral conclusions reached. 

FINALLY. — Fiction, poetry, drama, in their several forms, 
— all of them distinct literary types, with positive and 
separate elements of beauty, — have a marked influence 
on the development of the pupil of high school age, de- 
pendent somewhat upon environment but largely upon 
mental growth. This relation would also doubtless be 
seen in the essay were the investigation carried into the 
college course, where appreciation of the essay becomes 
possible. It is also highly probable, though not finally 
proved, that the teaching of English could be made far more 
potent in this development. The work in the second city 
and in individual cases gives strong evidence to this effect. 

The negative side of this is shown from other groups, — 
history, science, and biography. No distinct tendencies 
are here apparent, but the interest in them depends upon 
their literary content, — description, plot, character, etc. If 
science stories were enjoyed in the early years, the pleasure 
came from some form of activity that could be translated into 
plot, and the history of the later years depended not upon 
the elements belonging solely to history, but upon those 
related to the art of literature, as character and beauty of 
structure. 



CONCLUSION 

In judging of the value of this evidence there are two con- 
siderations, — quantity and reliability. About 6000 records 
were taken; one thousand of these related to lower grade 
work and gave no results bearing on the problem that were 
materially different from those of the eighth grade, so they 
were not considered. About one thousand more were re- 
jected because they were incomplete or the answers were 
too vague to be of value. The actual number tabulated 
is 4210. These are divided among four years and give 
approximately a thousand to each year. Records are made 
of required and outside reading and of first choice. The 
several lists act as check and countercheck, and their con- 
currence proves the reliability of the results. The state- 
ments were made early in September after a summer vaca- 
tion had intervened since the required reading was done. 
The pupils were now in different classes and in most cases 
they were not reciting to the teacher of the previous year. 
The required selections had all been read at least three 
months before, and there was no impending examination 
to influence the expression of opinion. The teacher's im- 
mediate influence or desire, which is always a factor in 
the pupil's opinion, was minimized; for there was little to 
be gained from the approbation of work upon which no 
marks or records depended, or from a teacher who no longer 
had any direct control of the pupil. Then, school had just 
opened for the year, so there had been little time for the new 
work to make itself felt or for the new teacher to impress 

115 



Ii6 CONCLUSION 

his personality upon the pupil. These conditions made the 
statements of the pupils as free from outside influence as 
it seems possible to secure them during the high school 

course. 

REQUIRED READING 

PLOT. — The results of the required reading show that 
plot is the strongest element of interest. In each year it 
is above any other except in the third year, where char- 
acter surpasses it. The fundamental cause for this is that 
man^s greatest interest is in human activity, and that he 
images such activity in his own experience.^* Though there 
is a gradual decline through the several years in the in- 
tensity of this element, yet the introduction of selections 
strong in plot will force the interest upward. The Mer- 
chant of Venice and Silas Marner do this in the second 
year, though in the same group there is ample opportunity 
for other interests. No other element reaches so high a 
level, moves through so wide a range, and, except for 
"moral," no other makes a net decline. 

But in order to get a fair estimate of ''moral influence," 
"character" must be considered with it.^ Taking the two 
together, boys start at 25% and rise continuously to 45%. 
Girls start at 20% and with a setback of 1% in the second 
year rise to 40% the third. This indicates a growing free- 
dom from dogmatic teaching and the ability to recognize 
virtues in character. Lays of Ancient Rome "teach us to 
be brave" and Ivanhoe "makes one want to fight." These 
are impressions made in the first year. But by the time 
the pupil reaches the second year he identifies these quali- 
ties with the characters possessing them and gets his 
own moral stimulus from imaginary association with such 

* Numbers refer to '' Notes and Comments," pp. 134-144. 



REQUIRED READING I17 

characters. Antonio becomes a real friend to the boy- 
reader and Bassanio is the girl's true lover, while Silas 
Marner's trials\nd devotion to Eppie touch the heart of 
the reader and arouse the feeling of sympathy. 

CHARACTER AND MORAL. — In the eighth year, owing 
to the course prescribed, an abnormal condition exists. 
The Lady of the Lake, the strongest in its moral teachings, 
is not once mentioned under this heading. Its lessons have 
been obscured by the fact that it is poetry or overbalanced 
by its plot interest. The only moral mentioned is in 
Sharp Eyes and In the Wilderness. According to mental 
growth, there is a gradual transition through the years from 
plot interest to character interest, from what the char- 
acters do to what they are. This is apparent when the 
same book is mentioned in different years. For instance, 
character interest in Silas Marner when read in the third 
year is more than twice as great as it is when read in the 
second year. If books are to do their best work, to estab- 
lish themselves as factors in shaping the lives of the readers, 
they should be read at that period in the course when they 
make their strongest appeal. 

STYLE. — Under style is included all interest in form of 
literature, as distinguished from content. This is very 
slight in the eighth year, yet it rises continuously without 
check from 4% to 20% in the third year. At its highest, 
however, it is below plot at its lowest. This seems remark- 
able, as no subject in the whole course of study is receiv- 
ing apparently so much emphasis as English composition. 
The force of figurative language of the Idylls of the King 
was quite unknown, and no one had heard the significant 
tones of The Lady of the Lake. The strength and dignity 
of the finest passages of Shakespeare made slight conscious 



Il8 CONCLUSION 

impression, and Ruskin's paragraphs meant nothing. Even 
sentence structure received little recognition. Yet the 
elements of prose and poetic style are specifically men- 
tioned as subjects for study throughout the high school 
course. Unity and coherence and function of the para- 
graph are called for in the first year; topic sentence, transi- 
tion, loose, periodic, and balanced sentences, and rhetorical 
questions in the second. In the third year the pupil is 
expected to discriminate literary types and values and to be 
conversant with the development of the paragraph. This 
work is either done superficially or else it is so isolated from 
literature that it does not contribute to a strong and healthy 
literary taste. Yet the rise is positive and continuous 
throughout the four years and shows growing apprecia- 
tion of beauty, though the degree of this is sHght. In the 
eighth grade and the first year only two selections are 
mentioned at all for style, in the second year four, and in 
the third year eight. The highest per cent is for Joan of 
Arc, and though there is almost no interest in essay content 
throughout the course, the essays Jomi of Arc and The 
English Mail Coach have almost one half the style interest 
for that year; and again, though there is almost complete 
ignorance of specific poetic form, yet the only selections 
given for style in the eighth year are The Lady of the Lake 
and The Apostrophe to the Ocean. In fact, the poem and 
essay, both neglected for content, furnish here the main 
source for style interest. With no evidence of instruction 
in style, it seems from this that enjoyment of Hterary 
beauty is instinctive.^ The study of form is seriously pro- 
claimed in the syllabus, but the reports give no evidence 
that classes have had instruction in this phase of the work. 
So what enjoyment there is, is natural and original. The 



REQUIRED READING 1 19 

rhythm of Joan of Arc and The English Mail Coach, the 
grace of Sesame and Lilies, the tone, rime, and alliteration 
of the poems, have had to do their work alone without the 
responses that should come to even an immature mind 
trained to receive them. It would be interesting to see 
what they might have done under cultivation. 

DESCRIPTION. — The treatment of description has been 
left till the last because it bears a peculiar relation both to 
the several types of literature and to the composition work 
of the syllabus. It is a factor in the sketch, the drama, and 
the poem. It is also the form of composition emphasized in 
the first year in high school. In the eighth year, interest 
in description is found almost entirely in In the Wilderness 
and Sharp Eyes, with almost none in The Lady of the Lake. 
In the first year, over half the interest in description centers 
in Ivanhoe, though The Vision of Sir Launfal, Idylls of the 
King, The Sketch Book, and The Ancient Mariner are also 
mentioned. In the second year there is a rapid decline, 
Silas Marner being almost the only story mentioned. The 
third year interest is peculiar. There is a slight rise with 
the boys and a slight decline with the girls. This is not 
so significant as the fact that while in the second year 
only four books are mentioned, eight are mentioned in the 
third year. Were it not for the influence of Silas Marner 
in the girls' second year, there would be a rise in the third 
year for both boys and girls; therefore it seems fair to 
conclude that the normal tendency of taste is for descrip- 
tion to rise in the third year. Now, during the eighth 
grade and the first year composition, description is em- 
phasized with models drawn from the prose selections. 
These models were evidently recalled, and therefore the 
subjects were held to be of interest because of this element. 



120 CONCLUSION 

But the fall in the second year and the few books mentioned 
show that when the composition stimulus is removed there 
is little tendency to find interest in this form of writing.^ 
In the third year, with the one exception noted, the ten- 
dency is upward, and the variety of titles cited under this 
head indicates that the power to appreciate description — 
feeble though it is — begins to develop in the third year, 
much later than does the appreciation of plot. This also 
is in accord with the psychic principle that the mind does 
not respond at so low a stage of development to a scene as 
it does to action. It is evidently easy to teach description 
dogmatically in the first year, but since the natural un- 
trained taste is manifest in the third year, if composition 
is to vitalize and intensify the literature so that description 
gives not only bare and cold images but impressions en- 
riched by the personality of the writer, then it should come 
later in the course, or at least be reviewed at the later period 
from the literary viewpoint.^ 

OUTSIDE READING 

Now that the place and force of the elements of compo- 
sition have been considered in the required reading, it is 
possible to pass to the broader field of the outside reading. 

CLASSIC AND CURRENT FICTION. — In order to draw re- 
liable inferences from this, it is necessary to consider to- 
gether the amount read and the ^' first choice" on this 
reading. In the first year there is a general rise in the 
ratio of current reading and a fall in that of classic reading. 
In the second and third years this condition is reversed. 
(See p. 78.) The high school reading is not so completely 
under the teacher's control as it is in the grades.^ This 
fact accounts for the rapid rise in popular fiction. But 



OUTSIDE READING 121 

at the same time it raises the question, Why should these 
pupils desire this reading? They are practically all in 
their fifteenth year, a period in adolescence when emotion 
is strong and seeks satisfaction through imagination by 
means of reading.^ The fiction most popular is that in 
which strong plot holds a large place in proportion to the 
other elements of novel structure. First year teachers 
seem to recognize this. The plot of A Tale of Two Cities 
is less vigorous than that of Ivanhoe, but far more so than 
that of Cranford. The ratio of these three first year novels 
is as follows: 





IVANHOE 


A TALE OF TWO CITIES 




CRANFORD 


Boys 


671 


: 18 


: 





Girls 


S7I 


• 7 


• 
• 


4 



Here the teacher's as well as the pupiFs influence is seen, 
for the teacher chooses which of the three shall be read, 
while the pupil states whether he prefers the selection to 
the others of the year's course. In novels that have proved 
themselves classic there is a fair proportion of personaHty, — 
portrayed as in David Copperfield, or developed as in Romola. 
Now it has been shown that character interest is of later 
growth than plot interest.^^ This is due to the fact that 
certain generalizations are necessary, depending upon a 
more advanced stage of mental power.^^ In order to under- 
stand what Tito is, the reader must generalize from his 
actions and motives; and to comprehend the change in 
character he must reason from cause to effect without any 
great amount of conscious effort. This is apparently the 
basis of solution for these two curves, ''current" and 
''classic." But in this connection the curves under "first 
choice" show an interesting condition: namely, the per 



122 CONCLUSION 

cent here is higher in ^'classic" than in '^current/' not- 
withstanding the fact that the ratio representing the num- 
ber of books read per pupil is much higher for '' current" 
fiction. This statement generaHzes what has been com- 
mented upon in individual cases, — that the reading of a 
large quantity of cheap fiction deadens the power of analysis 
and discrimination. ^2 xhe more definite ideas were expressed 
by those who did the better but smaller amount of reading. 
On the same basis of mental growth, it may be argued that 
in the second and third year there is a rise in interest in 
classic fiction and a decline in interest in current fiction. ^^ 
How much of this is the result of the English work, and 
how much that of natural growth in power, it is not pos- 
sible to determine. There seems no reason why the first 
year reading should be of poorer quality than that of the 
eighth grade. The high school teacher who has the liter- 
ary confidence of his pupils should be able to make The 
Deerslayer and David Copperfield as popular as Treasure 
Island and Two Years before the Mast are in the eighth 
grade.^^ ^^ 

JUVENILE FICTION. — Exccpt for the popularity of the 
Barbour books in the second year of the second city, the 
course of juvenile fiction is continuously downward. This 
is to be expected. Youths do not like to do "childish'' 
things. It will be seen that girls read less of this class than 
boys do, and after the first year fewer give it as first choice.^^ 
This is due, no doubt, to the fact that, though the girls and 
the boys are nearly of the same age, girls develop and tend 
to feel "grown up" somewhat earlier than boys do.^^ No 
attempt was made to separate current from classical 
literature in the juvenile group. Such a division seemed 
unnecessary, because juvenile reading was of a higher order 



OUTSIDE READING 123 

than was expected. Such books as Tom Sawyer and 
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm were favorites. There were 
few of the Henty, Alger, or Harry Castlemon type, nor of 
the weak '^girly" Elsie books. Previous experience with 
grade literature leads the writer to infer that such books 
belong to an earlier grade. Yet Little Women and Tom 
Sawyer are read from the fifth grade upward. This fact 
again shows that the better the book, the wider its range 
in power to interest, hence Robinson Crusoe belongs to all 
ages and all times. 

POETRY. — Poetry was divided into epic — narrative and 
lyric — and descriptive, but there was so little of the latter 
read that it is almost a negligible quantity. The curves in 
the "outside reading" and in the ''first choice" are so 
similar that their direction is particularly worth consider- 
ation. The ratios when compared with those of fiction 
are low, but one is forced to believe that the sources of 
interest are similar. 

In the primary grades the interest in poetry is largely 
sensuous — in rime, rhythm, and alliteration.^^ At the 
close of the grades it is fair to expect a mixture of sensuous 
and intellectual, that is, interest in knowing the story, with 
a tendency through the high school years to an appeal to 
the emotions — love, sympathy, patriotism, morality — 
and even to the aesthetic emotions.^^ This expectation is 
not realized, as the lines follow close in the direction of 
those of classic fiction. That is, the poems read are good 
stories. 

From the chart on style (p. 76) there is further evidence 
that poetry for its own sake occupies a small place in high 
school education. In the eighth grade only The Lady of the 
Lake and one of the other nine poems are mentioned. 



124 CONCLUSION 

Though the first year high school syllabus is rich in its list 
of poems, not one of them has been chosen. The second 
and third years are but little more encouraging. The 
Deserted Village and Idylls of the King are mentioned, but 
Palgrave is entirely omitted. Nevertheless, throughout 
the course there were occasional expressions of a positive 
love for poetry for the poetic elements. Some of these no 
doubt were due to home influence; but unless teachers do 
their part most children will never acquire a love of poetry 
for its own sake. 

DRAMA.* — The drama tells quite a different story from 
that of poetry. Its range is narrow, practically all Shakes- 
pearean, but no other type shows so constant and uniform 
a rise in total reading and first choice. There is no juvenile 
drama, *' popular" dramas are not put up in book form for 
general reading, and the novelized drama has not seriously 
influenced the youth. 

How is this increase in interest to be accounted for? To 
say that the drama is one of the oldest forms of literature, 
and that it has always had an audience, only forces the 
question back one step further. Why has it had an audi- 
ence? The laws of mind growth have not changed since 
the Greek tragedies and comedies were written. It there- 
fore seems possible to account for interest in the classic 
drama strictly on the principle laid down for source of 
interest for Hterature in general. The plot comes first. 
First year pupils enjoy the Casket Scene of The Merchant 
of Venice or the battle of the opposing forces in Julius 
Ccesar. In the second year there is the added satisfaction 

* While tragedy and comedy were recorded separately, they were con- 
sidered together because their difference does not seem to bear any relation 
to the problem. 



OUTSIDE READING 12$ 

of feeling the personality of the scheming Shylock, the loyal 
Antonio, the shrewd Cassius, or the brilliant Mark An- 
tony. In the third year we get statements that bear on 
dimax or catastrophe, on the artistic treatment of plot or 
scene, and on the beauty of phrasing, all of which indicate 
a slight tendency toward interest in style. The records 
on style for Julius Ccesar in the required reading show the 
same tendency .^^ ^^ 

THE ESSAY. — Although it is not very satisfactory to 
argue from negative results, yet, in regard to the essay, that 
is the only course open. In outside reading there were not 
enough records to warrant tabulation, and in required 
reading there was no record of Lamb, Bacon, or Emerson. 
Now the essentials of the essay are not plot, character, 
or description, the elements that enter so largely into the 
other forms of prose composition. The essay deals more 
largely with generalizations. It may use incident, episode, 
narrative, or description, by way of illustration, but its plan 
is generally deductive. This does not mean that the high 
school pupil lacks the power to draw general conclusions 
or to comprehend them when drawn by others. But in 
this investigation he never exercised his choice in favor of 
the essay. He was following the mental line of least re- 
sistance.^^ It is safe to predict that an investigation of this 
character carried into college would lead to some positive 
conclusions. 

HISTORY, BIOGRAPHY, AND SCIENCE. — In history, biog- 
raphy, and science the records formed no basis for definite 
conclusions so far as these subjects in themselves are con- 
cerned. Science in the lower years consisted of stories, — 
Long's, Thompson Seton's, or in a few instances Burroughs's. 
In the upper years it was of more economic character, as 



126 CONCLUSION 

books on electricity, or how to build a boat. Biology is a 
first year subject taught in most schools and by the labora- 
tory plan, yet there seemed no relation between this sub- 
ject and the outside reading. 

In the grades, American History is one of the required 
subjects for a preliminary certificate, and in the high schools 
there are definite courses in Ancient, European, EngHsh, and 
American History. Yet none of these seemed to affect the 
reading.^ In the earher years the choice was for story, as 
Coffin's Story of Liberty and Boys of 'y6?^ This was not 
true to so great an extent in the upper classes. Here there 
was an occasional mention of some standard histories, — 
Motley, Fiske, or Eggleston. 

Interest in biography was slight, and related to story, 
plot, or personaHty. In fact, except when this group served 
economic needs, interest depended on form, not on content. 
It is generally contended that boys at this age are inter- 
ested in facts of science and history. This is doubtful ex- 
cept when the facts are put in literary form that appeals to 
them.2^2^^^ The nearest approach to natural science in 
the course is in Sharp Eyes and In the Wilderness, and when 
a pupil ventured an opinion in regard to these he showed 
that he was trying to find a story. ^^ ^^ 

COMPARISON OF READING OF GIRLS AND BOYS 

It is frequently asserted that girls' reading differs in 
quality from that of boys. This investigation tends to 
prove the contrary. In Hterary elements the curves (pp. 
75, 76) show that there is but slight difference. The 
general direction in description, moral, character, and style 
is the same. Such difference as exists is so slight that it 



OUTSIDE READING 127 

may be attributed to local or special conditions. The plot 
curves are nearly identical and furnish strong proof of ^he 
conclusions reached in regard to plot. 

Under types of Hterature (pp. 78-81 and 109-112) the 
similarity is not quite so marked, yet the general tendency 
is the same. There is, however, an apparent sex difference 
in reasons for choice. In the same plot, girls enjoy the 
emotional elements, and boys the elements of physical 
action; boys admire the man that can do, and girls the 
one that can endure, both frequently naming the same 
character for these different traits.^^ ^^ ^^ Boys read but 
few distinctly girls' books, though there is occasional men- 
tion of Louisa Alcott, but girls read Huckleberry Finn, The 
Crimson Sweater, and admire the humor, daring, and cour- 
age of the characters even more keenly though not so ex- 
tensively as do the boys.^^ 

The only diversity appears in the second year, and this 
is a special condition due to the delayed popularity of 
Barbour in the second city. In each year girls read more 
poetry than boys do. The writer's experience in primary 
grades indicates that so long as the interest is mainly sen- 
suous, boys enjoy poetry and read as much as girls do; but 
when interest is dependent upon the emotions, the girls 
more readily respond, though with boys the response, once 
secured, is as positive as with girls. The per cent of first 
choice in poetry is low, but the curve tends to verify the 
same conclusion. In history, science, and biography there 
is no marked tendency either of similarity or diversity, 
which again strengthens the conclusion that these depend 
for interest not upon the class of matter they contain but 
upon the form in which it is given. The history curve 
(p. 80) is the one exception, but as the ^' first choice" in this 



128 CONCLUSION 

(p. Ill) shows quite a different direction, any conclusion 
drawn would be doubtful .^^ ^^ 

SUGGESTIONS 

This thesis does not aim to determine the contents of an 
English high school course either in the composition or in 
the selections to be read, but the reports give some evidence 
that is worthy of comment. The relation between the 
reading and the writing needs to be closer. The pupil 
doubtless studies development of the paragraph, narration, 
types of sentences, and other elements of prose structure 
so as to answer the questions of fact relating to them. But 
he is bound to fail on the side of literary appreciation and 
enjoyment unless he sees how an author in his work has 
mastered the art of writing. Then in his own writing he 
must imitate the master. When he has done this, pro- 
vided he has followed the lines indicated throughout the 
discussion, he will have a cultivated taste instead of one 
that shows Httle more than natural tendencies. There is 
no evidence to warrant comment on exposition and argu- 
mentation, the more advanced work in writing, but the 
requirement for description in the third year should be met 
seriously. The pupil should become familiar with master- 
pieces of description and learn to imitate them. It is a 
little presumptuous to suggest change or innovation in the 
customary order of teaching types of composition, — narra- 
tion, description, exposition, and argumentation; but the 
continuous interest in the drama points to the conclusion 
that pupils should learn to write in dramatic form.^^ This 
would give zest to narration, furnish purpose for description, 
and establish a motive for exposition and argumentation. 

The selections to be read conform in general to the normal 



SUGGESTIONS 129 

growth in interest. The poetry is well chosen, but the 
course should be continuous and include selections in the 
third year where none are now given. 

The interest in poetry is feeble, but it can be in- 
creased by proper teaching. The final purpose of poetry is 
to arouse emotion. The teacher must realize this and 
not make The Lady of the Lake a matter of fiction only, 
or treat Shelley's To the Skylark like a bit of bone and 
feathers. ^^ It is a mistake to furnish no fiction in the eighth 
grade. Sharp Eyes and In the Wilderness are interesting 
to adults who have had some experience with nature, but 
the effort made to find some story in these shows a hunger 
for plot that needs to be satisfied. Cranford does not 
belong in the course. Its plot interest is too feeble, its 
characterizations are too delicate, and its humor so subtle 
that it requires a mature mind trained for the finer appre- 
ciation of Hterature. 

Pilgrim's Progress may be read for the pictures and 
the story several years earHer, or for the allegory and the 
lesson several years later. It does not belong here. High 
school pupils will never care for it.^^ 

If the essay is to contribute to lit^ary appreciation, its 
content must be dramatic, its form: poetic, or in some way 
it must meet the requirements of the adolescent mind more 
fully than it can when it follows the conventional plan of 
generalization and illustration. 

Finally, this investigation does not show that, imder pres- 
ent conditions, teaching is a potent influence in develop- 
ing literary taste, but it indicates the possibility of such 
influence.^^ 

It does show that types of Uterature according to the 
elements they possess are adapted to different stages of 

Int. in H. S. Eng.— 9. 



I30 CONCLUSION 

mental growth, and it points the way for a broader and 
deeper appreciation of literary values.'"^ ^^ ^^ 

If the evidence here given can aid in showing how to 
modify courses in composition and how to select literature, 
it has served its purpose. 

OTHER PROBLEMS 

In the solution of the problems of this thesis, other 
problems have become apparent. The discussion of history 
was largely from the negative side. Now let it be taught 
as a humanity, not as a compilation of bare facts; let it be 
supplemented by the Uterature of history and note the 
results. The course of study in most cities makes pro- 
vision for such teaching, but only in a few schools is advan- 
tage taken of it. 

Though biology is a compulsory first year study, it 
showed no influence upon the literature selected. Choose 
some schools where the teachers know the literature of the 
profession as well as the details of the laboratory. Let these 
teachers give their pupils a taste of what the great natural- 
ists have written. Then compare the outside reading in 
such schools with that in schools where only the work of 
the syllabus is done. 

Poetry is more difficult to test. But individual cases 
known to the writer convince him that it is possible to 
teach poetry for its own sake. Select schools where this is 
done and then see whether poetry follows the same curve 
as fiction. Show whether under such teaching, to the pupil, 
poetry is ''good" only in proportion to the story it contains. 

All of these experiments would assist in solving that 
larger question, How far can the teacher of English influ- 
ence the formation of permanent literary taste? This is the 



OTHER PROBLEMS 131 

serious question raised in the discussion. There are occa- 
sional suggestions on this point, but no definite answer to 
the question. It is a common practice to make positive 
statements about the influence of the teacher. How far 
are they true? How does the outside reading of the 
pupils whose teacher really loves the literature differ from 
that done by those whose teacher does the work mechani- 
caUy?43 

Closely connected with this point is the question that 
arose from the study of the fiction curves, — What would 
be the results if the high school teacher guided the out- 
side reading of pupils as carefully as the grade teacher 
does ? 

The same investigation extended to college work should 
show results that verify the principles laid down, and vary 
in accord with the more highly developed power.^ In 
regard to the essay, in particular, it should give positive 
instead of negative results. It should furnish more con- 
vincing evidence in regard to description and add new 
chapters on exposition and argumentation. In fact, two 
serious problems are made apparent in the discussion of 
this thesis: (i) How far will an investigation in more ad- 
vanced work verify and amplify the conclusions herein 
reached, and (2) What is the real organic influence of class 
English under direction of the teacher upon permanent 
taste and character of the pupil ?^^ 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Abbott, Allan. Education, Oct., 1901; School Review, Oct., 
1902, Sept., 1904; Teachers' College Record, 1908. 

Atkinson, F. W. Reading of young people. Library Journal, 
1908, vol. 33. 

Brockway, H. Children's literature. Child Study Monthly, 
1900, vol. 7. (Comments on what children ought to read.) 

Bryan, E. B. Nascent stages. Pedagogical Seminary, 1900, 
vol. 7. 

Bullock, R. W. Some observations on children's reading. 
N. E. A. Proceedings, 1897, vol. 37. 

BuRNiTE, Caroline. Good and poor books for boys and girls. 
Public Libraries, 1906, vol. 11. 

Chase, S. F. Adolescence: its problems and experiences ap- 
plied to the choice of reading matter for the early adolescent 
years. Child Study Monthly, 1901, vol. 6. 

Cone, Mrs. K. M. Children's Uterature. Education, 1898, 
vol. 18. (A good account of the growth of juvenile Uterature.) 

Dana, J. C. Children's reading. U. S. Commissioner of Edu- 
cation Report, 1897-98, vol. i. (Tells how teachers can help 
in the choice of good reading.) 

Forbush, W. B. Some recent studies of boys' tastes in reading. 
How to Help Boys, July, 1902, vol. 2. (Valuable comments 
from several writers.) 

Gayley, J. G. Classics for children. Pedagogical Seminary, 
1894, vol. 3. (Makes a plea for classic literature in the grades.) 

GoDLEY, E. C. Century of books for children. Living Age, 
1906, vol. 249. (Review of children's books for a century, 
showing how style has changed to fit the child's taste.) 

Griffith, George. Course of reading for children. Educa- 
tional Review, 1899, vol. 17. 

Gulick, Dr. Luther. Pratt Institute Monthly, April, 1901. 

132 



BIBLIOGRAPHY 133 

Hall, G. S. Children's reading as a factor in their education. 
Library Journal, 1908, vol. 33. N. E. A. Proceedings, 1905. 
Adolescence, vol. 2. 

KiRKPATRiCK, E. A. Children's reading. Northwestern 
Monthly, 1899, vol. 9. 

Lamont, H. Reading of children. Nation, 1906, vol. 83. (It 
pleads for more classics of the old type, and shows how the 
goody Cjiiild book is passing away.) 

Lancaster, E. C. Psychology and pedagogy of adolescence. 
Pedagogical Seminary, 1897, vol. 5. 

Lawrence, Isabel. Children's interests in literature. N. E. A. 
Proceedings, 1899. 

Leland, Claude G. How New York guides its children 
through good reading. Harpers' Weekly, Dec. 26, 1908, vol. 
52. (Suggestive for grades.) 

Lowe, May. Evolution as applied to children's reading. Edu- 
cation, 1899, vol. 19. 

Repplier, Agnes. Little Pharisees in fiction. Scribner's, 1896, 
vol. 20. (Shows the danger from cheap children's stories.) 

ScHREtBER, M. E. How to direct children in their reading. 
N. E. A. Proceedings, 1900. 

Shaw, Adele. Reading of children. Critic, 1906, vol. 48. 

SivnxH, F. O. Pupils' voluntary reading. Pedagogical Semi- 
nary, 1907. 

Thurber, C. H. Plan for a study of children's reading. N. Y. 
Supt. of Public Instruction Report, 1897, vol. 2. 

Thurber, Samuel. Voluntary reading in the classical high 
school. School Review, 1905, vol. 13. 

VosTROvSKY, Clara. Study of children's reading. Pedagogi- 
cal Seminary, 1899, vol. 6. 

Winterburn, F. H. The child's taste in fiction. New Eng- 
land Magazine, 1902, vol. 33. 

Wissler, Clark. Interests of children in the reading work of 
the elementary schools. Pedagogical Seminary, 1898, vol. 5. 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 

(i) Allan Abbott, of the Horace Mann School, notes, among 
third year pupils, interest in plot, character, description, senti- 
ment, moraUzing disUked, personality of author and exaggera- 
tion disliked. — Teachers' College Record. 

(2) F. W. Atkinson furnishes the only records of vacation 
reading (Springfield High School). On the opening day of the 
Springfield High School (1897) all pupils were asked these 
questions: 

What books have you read during the summer? 

Which of these do you specially like? 

This investigation was conducted in only one school, had to 
do with a brief period, and made no attempt to determine 
motive. Nevertheless, the writer is positive in concluding that 
high school teachers need to give more attention to their pupils' 
voluntary reading. 

(3) " The native interests which underlie a taste for htera- 
ture are interests in life itself. ... It only remains to select 
the best books to fit such interests, and then verify the selection 
by an inductive study of its effect." — Isabel Lawrence. 

(4) Wissler found that the children in the lower grades had 
httle interest in moral precepts, but 23% of those in the fifth 
reader preferred stories in which the purpose was distinctly 
moral. 

(5) " Artists would fain have us believe that aesthetic tastes 
are somewhat accidental structures. Could we take the taste 
for Uterature in the cultivated brain and remove the last straw 
blown to it, and the next to the last, and so on to the very center 
of the complex and compact accretion of years, we should find at 
the beginning native interests." — Isabel Lawrence. 

(6) There was very little interest in stories of description 

134 



NOTES AND COMMENTS I35 

among Wissler's children till they reached the highest reader, 
when 30% selected such stories. 

(7) " The answers tend to indicate an agreement between the 
motives which prompt voluntary reading and different stages 
in the development of the child's instincts. Adventure is the 
leading motive in the grades below the high school. Later, this 
crude instinct for nature is followed by the beginning of an 
appreciation of beauty and sentiment as represented in descrip- 
tion of nature in forms of expression and in the analysis of 
character." — F. O. Smith. 

Without going into details, Mr. Smith has asserted fimda- 
mental sources of interest for high school pupils, — description, 
style, character. 

(8) Mr. Atkinson regrets that " the high literary taste formed 
by the grammar school teacher is not maintained by the teachers 
of the high school." The upper class work is of low grade, but 
" all have interest in the portrayal of strong personality." 

(9) " Parents seldom realize the intensity of this desire to 
read. Those who feel it and are not provided with reading, 
some of which is even sensational in the best sense of the word, 
may take up the worst kind of sensational reading. It is the 
golden opportunity to cultivate the taste and inoculate against 
the worst forms of the reading habit. The curve of this intense 
desire to read begins at 8, rises to 10, then more rapidly from 11 to 
14, culminates at 15, then falls rapidly, nearly reaching the base 
line at 18." — E. C. Lancaster. 

Statement based upon records of 453 persons ranging in age 
from 12 to 25 years. 

(10) " The special aims in studying fiction are: to enjoy the 
story; to picture life portrayed; to judge character portrayed; 
to trace character development." — M. E. Schreiber. 

(11) "The most prominent feature of adolescence is the 
emotional life. The emotional nature seems to mature rapidly 
and nearly reach its maximum before the intellectual or rational 



136 NOTES AND COMMENTS 

side, if they may be separated, has developed. The growth of 
the ethical nature, and the deep, broad intellectual interests, 
root in the emotional hfe of adolescence. If the instinct emo- 
tions are properly guided, they will pass over into permanent 
intellectual interests." — E. C. Lancaster. 

(12) C. H. Thurber finds the same relation between history 
and light fiction that we do between classic and current fiction. 
The more history a child reads the more apt is he to give history 
positive first choice, while the more light fiction he reads the 
less apt is he to give fiction or anything else a positive preference. 
He says, " If more historical and biographical Kterature of an 
interesting character were placed in our school libraries, some of 
the lighter classes of fiction could be dispensed with." 

(13) " The testimony of about 75 normal students questioned 
on this point indicates, as do these figures, that the 'reading 
craze ' most frequently begins at about 1 2 years of age and con- 
tinues at least three or four years. Later, it is often opposed 
by increased responsibiUty in the way of home duties, school 
requirements, or social duties, and is often diminished in quan- 
tity and generally becomes more discriminating as to quaUty.'* 

E. A. KiRKPATRICK. 

(14) All investigators find the greatest interest in fiction. 
This is doubtless because it is the truest portrayal of Hfe in 
its emotions and activities, which the reader can understand 
and with which he can sympathize. Wissler's range of choice 
is 66 to 36% for girls and 74 to 32% for boys. The decline is 
doubtless due not so much to the child's taste as it is to the fact 
that the upper grade reading books contain a large proportion 
of biography, history, science, and poetry. 

Miss Vostrovsky finds a continuous rise in fiction in Hbrary 
choice with both boys and girls from 12 to 19 years of age. 

C. H. Thurber shows a rise in amount of fiction read for 
children from 9 to 15 years, with the girls somewhat in advance 
of the boys, In the upper grades, however, there is a decline in 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 137 

first choice." This is due to the large number of foreign 
children who in the upper grades prefer history, biography, and 
science. Then, children of this age normally belong in the high 
school, so that this upper grade record can hardly be relied upon 
as showing a general condition. 

(15) ''The pubescent reading passion is partly the cause and 
partly an effect of the new zest in and docihty to the adult 
world, and also of the fact that the receptive are now and here 
so unanimously in advance of the creative powers. Now the 
individual transcends his own experience and learns to profit by 
that of others. There is now unsolved a penumbral region in 
the soul more or less beyond the reach of all school methods, a 
world of gUmpses and hints, and the work here is that of the 
prospector and not of the careful miner. It is the age of skip- 
ping and sampling, of pressing the key Hghtly. What is ac- 
quired is not examinable but only suggestive." — G. S. Hall, 
Adolescence, vol. 2, p. 474. 

Dr. Hall bases his statements regarding adolescent reading 
on the records of R. W. Bullock, C. H. Thurber, E. A. Kirk- 
patrick, and Miss Vostrovsky. 

(16) "The love story is usually the dividing fine between the 
juvenile and the adult room " (for girls). — Caroline Burnite. 

(17) The most positive account of juvenile fiction is given by 
Miss Vostrovsky. Her record from 9 to 17 years is: for boys, 
100% to 35%; and for girls, 100% to 9%. The girls stop 
reading somewhat earlier than do boys, and after the 17th year 
neither boys nor girls give any records. 

George Griffith's records of the Utica schools show the same 
tendency away from juvenile Hterature and toward the novel 
of strong plot. 

Abbott also finds taste maturing in the same manner. 

(18) " The love of rime and verse comes into being with the 
first breath and outlasts mumps and measles, cold days and wet." 
— A. M. Shaw. 



138 NOTES AND COMMENTS 

Miss Shaw deals entirely with elements of interest in stories 
for young children. 

(19) Wissler finds a continuous rise in poetry interest from 
the second reader to the fifth for both boys and girls, though the 
interest of girls is the greater. In the lower grades, children 
select poems almost entirely for the sensuous elements, but the 
popularity of Evangeline and Thanatopsis in the upper grades 
shows the influence of sentiment. 

C. H. Thurber's grammar school children, on a basis of 1000, 
show a rise from 89 at 9 years to 435 at 15 years for boys and 
27 to 460 for girls. 

(20) "The basis for judgment of children's books (i.e., 
whether children should be allowed to read them) is first the 
ethical, second the dramatic, and after that atmosphere and 
style." — Caroline Burnite. 

Miss Burnite deals \vTth younger children, but her article is 
suggestive of motives in the choice of reading. 

(21) "Both sexes have a period in the earher or perhaps 
middle teens when they are fascinated with reading, a kind of 
craze or intoxication of trying their wings in the great field of 
hterature, to know what the great world is about, in the pin- 
feather stage, just before they are ready to launch upon it. The 
arduous work of the high school, as we know, distinctly tends to 
check this passion; sometimes doubtless for good and sometimes 
otherwise." — G. Stanley Hall, N. E. A. Report, 1905. 

Our records find this "craze" to be for fiction in the first year. 
To say, without quaUfication, that it is "checked" seems mis- 
leading. It gradually tends to other channels. It is doubtful 
if this change, or check, comes from the "arduous work of the 
high school." It seems more probable that it comes from a 
higher degree of mental culture to which of course the "arduous 
work" contributes. 

(22) Allan Abbott tested several hundred high school pupils 
on the required college entrance English to ascertain their likes 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 139 

and dislikes. He found that all the essays had the highest 
percentage of dislikes and in the following order: 

Carlyle's Essay on Burns. 

Macaulay's Essay on Addison. 
Burke's Canciliatiojt Speech. 
De Quincey's Tartar Tribe. 
Macaulay's Essay on Milton. 

In concluding his paper he makes the following statements: 
"A man in authority once told me that the critical essay was 
put on the list mth the object of killing two birds with one stone, 
— the essayist and his subject. Apparently the effect had been 
successful, for both, to the boys, are dead." 

" The common fault of all these books from the boys' stand- 
point is that they presuppose a reflective turn of mind, wide 
reading, and interest in the subtleties of style at a time when 
boys are naturally impulsive, ill-read, and scarcely masters of 
any style at all, even the simplest." — Education. 

(23) G. Stanley Hall says (N. E. A. Report, 1905): 

"The history teacher, even in the high school, is often too 
universitized in methods and ideals to recognize this need " 
(narration and biography). Dr. Hall believes boys and girls 
should read in the field of nature and modem science, but regrets 
that there are few suitable books on these topics. 

(24) " In history and history stories, the most popular authors 
are Pratt, CoflSn, Yonge, Henty, Abbott, Blaisdell, Plutarch, 
Montgomery, Scudder, and Sarah K. Bolton." 

E. A. KrRKPATRICK. 

(25) Emphasizing the need of reaching history by the story, 
Miss Lowe says: "Leath&r Stocking Tales lead very naturally 
into Brooks's story of the American Indian, and that again into 
the history of the Indian wars and the early history of our 
country. When your boy reaches this stage he may be left to 
the path alone." 



I40 NOTES AND COMMENTS 

(26) Forbush quotes Elmer E. Brown from his report of the 
Oakland schools as follows: "While considerable interest in 
historical narrative can be counted on from the fifth grade 
upward, the clear superiority of such natural interest of the 
children does not come out till the ninth grade." 

(27) "The history stories and the myths of the earlier stage 
bring the child naturally to the more careful and detailed study 
of history. The work at this time should be full of human 
interest. The time has not come for the more abstract studies 
of treaties, constitutions, and government documents. In the 
study of American history, the beginnings of our history appeal 
very strongly to children of this age. Well-written stories of 
the voyages of Columbus; of the expeditions of Drake and De- 
Soto; of the work of La Salle and Marquette; of the landing of 
the Pilgrims; of the founding of Jamestown and St. Augustine; 
the winning of the West; the stories of David Crockett, Daniel 
Boone, and George Rogers Clark, have a very great fascina- 
tion for the child at this age and will be retained with remark- 
able tenacity. This is the blood-and- thunder age of the child." 
— E. B. Bryan. 

It seems from the results of this investigation that even the 
high school pupil would prefer a Httle "blood and thunder" 
in his history. 

(28) "The most surprising and lamentable fact appearing in 
these answers is that almost no scientific books are being read 
and few that may be classed as scientific and Uterary, such as 
Burroughs." — E. A. Kirkpatrick. 

(29) There is irregularity and indefiniteness in all records 
of biography, science, and history. Wissler with his 2000 
children makes little of them, and Miss Vostrovsky's rates are 
very low. 

(30) "Girls have greater interests in the fields of action 
where affection and kindness are striving for the noble and true, 
and boys in that field of action where strength, courage, and 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 141 

honesty of purpose struggle against the more material environ- 
ment." — Clark Wissler. 

(31) Mr. Abbott concludes that "girls and boys have a 
common meeting ground in books rich in both feeling and inci- 
dent, that both like the current novels and enjoy the nearness of 
daily life (as in Miss Alcott or Hughes)." — School Review, 1902. 

(32) "The heroes in the boys' stories who are most popular, 
who secure the most unbounded enthusiasm from the boy, are 
those scouts or detectives or sea captains who, forgetting their 
own safety, risk their lives for someone else. The person who 
is merely selfish is never a popular hero to the boy of these years. 
In the same way with the girl, while the emphasis is upon 
romance, mere self-achievement, the winning of wealth or power 
or position, does not in itself characterize fairly their leading 
heroes." — Luther Gulick. 

(33) R. W. Bullock asserts that boys seldom read girls' books 
but girls read boys' books. (Others agree.) 

Miss Vostrovsky found that more standard works were 
drawn by boys than by girls. (9 to 19 years.) 

(34) E. A. Kirkpatrick in an investigation of 5000 children 
from the fourth to the ninth grade finds that girls read more 
poetry and stories than boys do, but boys read more travel and 
history. The poetry curves for boys and girls, however, are 
parallel throughout the grades. He beUeves that if history 
and travel gave more attention to what women have been and 
have done, girls would be more interested in these subjects. 

(35) G. Stanley Hall says {Library Journal, 1908): "Dif- 
ferences in reading tastes between boys and girls, which are very 
slight in early childhood, appear several years before puberty 
and thereafter increase rapidly." 

I do not find that they increase so rapidly as he indicates. 
Throughout the high school course there is a difference in taste, 
but the curves on classes of literature and elements in these 
classes are so nearly parallel for boys and girls that I beheve 



142 NOTES AND COMMENTS 

most classic literature interests one sex about as well as it 
does the other. 

He further says that boys read more history, science, and 
travel than girls. What difference there is I beHeve is due to 
the fact that boys are interested in their own sex; more men 
travel and history tells more of men's adventure than of women's. 
But, after all, interest in these subjects is not a question of sex. 
It is determined for all by the form in which the matter is given. 

(36) "Young children care most for motor images, and as 
the image tends to react in movement the dramatic interest is 
strong." — Isabel Lawrence. 

(37) " Poetry portrays the emotional side of life. It breathes 
the joys, hopes, fears, sorrows, strivings, and aspirations of 
humanity. It gives us the divine fire of genius, and teaches 
us the love of the beautiful, swings us into the world of imagina- 
tion, and encourages us to do and to be. A poem is a work of art 
to be admired and enjoyed and felt. Music, beauty, imagina- 
tion, passion, insight, inspiration, and faith are the essential 
characteristics of poetry; and these are what should be studied." 

M. E. SCHREIBER. 

Miss Schreiber has had experience as Ubrarian and as 
teacher of English, so her suggestions on both matter and 
method are of value. 

(38) Mr. Abbott makes similar comment in regard to the 
Wonder Book and Gulliver^ s Travels. "When we are young, we 
simply swallow the story as a story. When we reach our high 
school days, we can no longer do this, without the suspicion of 
something beyond. . . . Why should high school pupils, in- 
deed, care for the skill with which Bunyan selects his types of 
moral conflict or the art whereby Hawthorne drapes the pure 
forms of classic story with the iridescent robes of romance?" 
— School Review, 1902. 

(39) " Patient inquiry would discern in every normal child an 
instinctive appreciation of the good and the beautiful, at least 



NOTES AND COMMENTS 143 

equal to the guiding light of our own adult experience. There is 
in fact a curious likeness between the poor impulse of a simple 
understanding and the aspirations of a mind broadly cultivated." 

— F. H. WiNTERBURN. 

(40) "I believe there is a greater necessity for looking after 
the matter of reading during the adolescent period when habits 
of a Ufetime are formed than for any other period." 

— F. W. Atkinson. 

(41) "It is probable that the special reading tastes of boys 
and of girls may have their foundation in the history of the race. 
This does not mean that these preferences, however good in 
themselves, do not require direction." — Clara Vostrovsky. 

(42) Dr. Chase, commenting on the records of early reading 
furnished by several hundred men and women, says: "It is a 
matter of common mention that the tastes for reading change. 
Sometimes it is at the advent of puberty, sometimes at the very 
crest of adolescence. A deep significance is given when we note 
that this adolescent change often becomes the determining taste 
for Hfe." 

In her concluding article (No. 4) she summarizes her groups 
as follows: 

"Three distinct reading stages are noted: 

^' First. Fairy lore and children's stories, from 7 to 13. 
Second. Greed for quantity as well as for excitement, com- 
pHcated plots, quick action, love passion, from 13 on; the later 
limit is not easily fixed. 

"Third. More serious reading habits, noticeably at 16 and 
well marked by 18 or 20." 

(43) " Anyone interested in giving high school pupils an ap- 
preciation of literary style should read of Mr. Abbott's work 
in the Horace Mann School." — School Review, 1904. 

(44) "In later adolescence severe logical study should take 
the place of browsing. ... If, in early years, natural interests 
have been seized at the right time, not the few but the many may 



144 NOTES AND COMMENTS 

take possession of their rightful heritage in the noblest thought of 
the ages."— Isabel Lawrence. 

(45) "The large amount of reading done by children outside 
of school, especially from twelve to fifteen years of age, the 
inequality of reading done by pupils in the same classes, the 
difference between the reading of boys and girls, the difference 
in kind of reading found interesting at different ages, the ex- 
traordinary influence of school association and school work upon 
the reading of pupils, and the effect of extensive reading upon 
the work of the school, all emphasize in the strongest degree 
the importance of teachers and superintendents giving a large 
amount of attention to this question. No question of courses 
of study in school or methods has half the significance in the 
mental and moral development of children that the question of 
children's reading outside of school has." — E. A. Kirkpatrick. 



AK 26 1912 



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019 746 190 



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